The Journey
by ilikegoo
Summary: Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist… husband, father, that's how Tony Stark see's himself now. Three kids and a wife, how did he get there? The Journey is always the best part you see and Tony Looks back on his. Set Post Avengers.
1. Prologue

**Ok so I'm making my return to fan fiction after a long absence and instead of finishing my CSI story (yes I'm aware I'm a terrible human being) I've decided to write one about my new favourite movies Ironman, although it's less to do about the movie and more about inappropriate feelings for Robert Downey Jr (I'm assured by the females on my university course and the women's lacrosse team that they are not inappropriate). Anyway enough ranting…this is a story set immediately post Avengers and will start with a little jump to the future, hope you enjoy if it's awful let me know, I'll stop writing. **

**Prologue**

_Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist… husband, father, _not necessarily in that order but that's how Tony Stark describes himself. His stable-ish relationship with Pepper Potts had turned in to a stable, no "ish", marriage to Pepper Stark, he was still undoubtedly a genius, billionaire- most definitely, playboy…well Pepper had taken care of that, philanthropist- always, but right now the issue Tony was having was the father part. He had 3 wonderful (some of the time) kids but the youngest Stark, Jason was causing a problem now, the Ironman suits were still there, not that he really used them anymore, the eldest Stark boy had taken that one over, and they were what has dragged 15 year old Jason in to his father's lab with his girlfriend. The Ironman suit plus child were now embedded in Tony's vintage Audi R8.

Tony Stark looked at his son, wondering how he got here. He smiled as he remembered. The journey was a great one, after all

**TBC…**

Just something quick to see if there's any interest. I'll probably post the next chapter in a few hours if I get asked nicely =)


	2. Shawarma

**As I said he's the longer, chapter and the first in this story "The Journey". MAJOR SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE AVENGERS!**

**Shawarma**

"I have to say, Stark, this is one of the best I think I've ever heard come out of your mouth." Steve Rodgers says as he takes a bite of his pita bread filled with meat.

"I'm surprised you hear anything. I'm told that hearing declines with age." Tony quips in response.

"We treat Elders with much more respect where I'm from." Thor cuts in.

"Where you're from you all dress like you belong in Caesars palace." Tony Stark, was not about to be berated by a man from outer space, God or no God.

"You know I could really use some fun right now, let loose and so on…" Bruce cut across.

"We've all seen what happens when you let loose, so maybe it's not a great idea doc."

"Well if it happens, we've got somewhere to go that's already ruined." Tony points out, "Are you two up for it?" he looks to the quietest members of their group.

"Sure why not?" Natasha says

"I could go for it." Clint shrugs.

"Excellent we've got Legolas and a Russian spy what more could we need?" Tony smiles and summons a waitress so he can cover the check, and an hour later the hero's stumble off the packed elevator in to the remains of Tony Stark's penthouse.

"Jarvis! Let's get some drinks going!"

"yes sir but may I recommend that you move the party elsewhere Stark Tower's isn't the picture of structural integrity right now."

"Never mind that Jarvis! Drinks!" This time the AI indulges Tony's request and begins to have drinks automatically mixed at the bar.

"Hey!" Tony shouts "Why is there a person sized dent in my floor"

"Sorry." Bruce says from the corner "I think that might have been me."

"Victory celebrations need music!" Thor calls

"Jarvis you heard puberty blues! Can we get a little music please?" As Tony finished his sentence, Black Sabbath started blasting out.

"What the hell is that noise Stark?" Steve shouts

"Sorry old timer, perhaps something a little more appropriate. Jarvis, if you wouldn't mind." Tony clicks his fingers and the upbeat jazz tones of Glen Miller soon filled the apartment.

Steve grinned "much appreciated."

"I kinda liked the other stuff, it was loud and victorious" Thor called.

"Very classy Mr Stark."

Tony spun around as he heard it. "I'm always classy Miss Potts." He took a step forward and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, something followed by the cat calling of the Avengers team.

"Pepper meet superheroes. Cretins meet the lovely Pepper Potts."

"That's no way to introduce people Tony." Steve Rodgers walked over to Tony and Pepper and held out his hand. "Miss Potts, very nice to meet you ma'am. Captain Steve Rodgers."

Pepper shook his hand, telling him it was nice to meet him too. "He's hard to recognise without the spangly outfit." Tony commented in the background.

Bruce was next, "Bruce Banner, I was very interested in what you had to say on clean energy sources."

"Thank you Dr Banner, it's wonderful to meet you." She politely told him, shooting Tony a look "much more fun when he's green." It was a look echoed by some of his colleagues.

Thor was next to introduce himself to Pepper, he took her hand kissed it and bowed. "Such a beautiful woman" Tony moved closer to his girlfriend as he said this "Watch it hammer time."

Natasha hugged Pepper "It's great to see you again!" Pepper gave a similar sentiment back along with a hug. Natasha soon introduced Clint, and whilst they were talking told Tony that he should tell Pepper about Phil.

"Pep, I just need to steal you away for a moment." He lightly grabbed her arm and

They retreated to a corner away from the others.

"Sweetheart." Pepper could tell there was something wrong, call it intuition, but there was something in Tony's voice that told her all was not well. "Before we came to the city, we had Loki, but he played us. Phil he, tried to stop him, but you know he's not very bright, anyway, Loki… Phil died."

Pepper Potts, the usually cool and collected woman, disappeared instead she was replaced by a woman who sought out her boyfriend's embrace and pressed her head against Tony's arc reactor, the slight warmth she could feel it generating provided a sense of comfort.

The scene was watched by the others in the room.

"She was close to Agent Causon." Natasha filled the rest of the group in with that one sentence.

"He should be toasted! He died a hero!" Thor's booming voice caught the attention of Pepper and Tony in a corner of the room. He climbed on some rubble "To Phil, a hero! May his soul find peace and may he never be forgotten!" The others in the room raised a glass and toasted their friend.

Tony and Pepper stayed away from the party which had moved back in to a happy gathering, they just sat talking. Slowly the others began to depart, Tony agreed to meet them at 11am the next day to take the tesseract and Loki back to Asgard.

"I did my homework you know." Tony pointed out to Pepper. "I remember a conversation, before Phil…you never did tell me when Agent became Phil by the way, came to interrupt us." She couldn't help but grin and Tony's comment. Normal people wouldn't make a joke so soon after a death, but then Tony Stark wasn't a normal man.

"I did, promise you something." She lent in and kissed him deeply. "But our home seems to have become a battlefield."

"I know a place." With that, he pulled her up and led her back in to the private elevator to go to a hotel downtown.

"I called in the middle of the battle by the way. To let you know I was about to sacrifice myself for humanity." He smiled at Pepper as he said it. "Oh have you ever tried Shawarma? Still not sure what it is but it's very good, surprisingly good actually."

The elevator doors closed on the couple as they went to celebrate a victory and a happy reunion.

**TBC…**

**I hope I did it justice. **

**To explain a reference earlier on; Puberty Blues is an Australian 80's feminist movie about surfers, I hope I don't need to explain Hammer Time :p**

**Let me know your thoughts, all are appreciated, just try and keep it constructive if you're going negative.**


	3. Vacation

**I can honestly say the response I received for this story was totally unexpected, so thank you to everyone who added this to their favourites/alerts/reviewed. =) I'm going to take some artistic liberty with this, since they never really make Pepper's background clear and don't explain what happened to her after she "quits" **

**Vacation**

"So I hear Fury is letting you off the grid, for a while." Pepper whispered as she played with the glowing arc reactor in Tony's chest.

"You heard correctly." Tony says taking her hand in his.

"We could use a vacation, I remember your last vacation, we all nearly died…you were dying." Pepper rolled over so she was snuggled in to Tony's side.

"And where would Miss Potts like to go?"

"Home."

"Pepper, Malibu is hardly a vacation." Tony laughed.

"No, not our home. My home, the one in Ohio where my Mom and brother live."

"Parents don't like me." Tony said

"Please Tony." Pepper cooed.

"How is the torture of being forced to spend time with disapproving family members a vacation? I'd have to be on my best behaviour. Somewhere more fun was what I was thinking. Somewhere where clothing is optional." Tony's hands started to wander.

"How about 3 days in Ohio, and then as long as you want wherever you want."

Tony smiled as he rolled on top of Pepper "I can live with that."

…..

"Mr Stark, we'll be landing at Wood County Airport in 10 minutes, you and Miss Potts may want buckle up." The pilots voice came over the intercom system. Pepper smiled at Tony, who returned the smile somewhat sarcastically.

"I'm looking forward to my 4 days in Tahiti." Tony smirked, Pepper had always wanted to go to Tahiti, it was just a shame he had no plans for her to see it.

The plane slowed to halt on the tarmac, and the pair disembarked, waiting for them was a beat up ford pickup and a very tall, muscled man. Pepper squealed when she saw him, let go of Tony's hand and ran towards him, he picked her up and spun her around.

"Joey!" She said as she hugged him, whilst she was being returned to earth.

Tony approached the two "Pepper, aren't you going to introduce us."

"Tony this is my older brother." She told him.

Tony held out his hand "Tony Stark."

"Joe Potts." Pepper's brother shook his hand. "Get in the car you two, Mr Stark…"

"Tony please." Tony interrupted.

"…Tony, I'll be driving you in to town tomorrow to pick up a rental car."

It was only a 30 minute drive from the airport in bowling green, to the small community of Wayne, Ohio, they pulled up in front of a medium sized house, where an older version of Pepper stood waiting by the door.

"Hey Mom!" Pepper called as she opened her car door.

"Ginny!" Her mother called back, as she hurried down the stairs. "Ginny?" Tony smirked behind Pepper.

Pepper embraced her mother as soon as she'd arrived at the car "Joseph be a dear and carry the bags in."

"Mom, I'd like you to meet Tony Stark."

"Hello Tony, I'm Susan Potts."

"Nice to meet you Mrs Potts."

"Susan please dear." Susan smiled at Tony, not quite sure what to make of him. "Let's get inside."

Tony followed Susan and Pepper up the stairs her brother had ascended before them. Pepper showed Tony up to her room. He peered around the room, looking at all the stuff on Pepper's shelves, pictures of her and a boy at what was clearly her High School Prom, there was a picture of Pepper at her graduation with the same guy.

"Pepper, who is this?" He asked waving the photo in her face.

"Rob, my high school boyfriend." She smiled, as she took the photo from his hands placing it back on the shelf, before adding quietly "you'll meet him tomorrow at the reunion"

"Sorry Pep, what was that? Reunion?"

"Yes, Tony a reunion, one where you get together with all the people you used to go to school with."

"You tricked me." He sounded offended

"I did. Will that be all Mr Stark?"

"No Miss Potts it won't be all." But it was too late she'd already gone down stairs.

He slowly found his way to the kitchen where he found Pepper, her mother and brother. "Oh Tony excellent, Ginny said you were just freshening up. We can eat now." Pepper's mother smiled and placed dishes of lasagne on the table in front of everyone before taking a seat.

Tony picked up the knife and fork and was immediately kicked by Pepper, before her mother asked "Tony would you like to say Grace." Pepper looked at him encouragingly.

Tony clasped his hands together and began to speak "For what we are about to receive may the Lord make us eternally grateful. Amen." He heard Pepper let out a sigh of relief.

"Beautifully said Tony, thank you." Susan Potts smiled.

"So Tony what's it like being Iron Man? I saw the battle in New York, looked pretty cool" Joe asked.

"It is pretty cool." Tony smiled "flying around saving the world. Pepper thinks it's hot."

"Pepper?" Susan asked

"It's Tony's nickname for me." Pepper said.

"It's a very interesting story." Tony pointed out

"No it's not."

"I think it is" He smiled at her; this was in part his revenge for tricking him in to attending her high school reunion with him.

"I'd love to hear it." Joe said, Susan nodded in agreement.

"She was working in the secretarial pool and came across a math error, which somebody made…" Tony was cut off.

"You made the math error" Pepper said pointedly

"I don't make math errors. Anyway, nobody would take her seriously, and so she chased me down…"

"It was hardly chasing you down."

"…so she chased me down, and happy, that's my body guard, happy wouldn't let her near me. So she threatened to empty the can of pepper spray in her purse, in to his face, so I let her talk to me. She saved us a few million dollars. So I decided to make her my PA and I couldn't remember her name but I remembered the Pepper spray and the name stuck. Pepper Spray Potts, Pepper Potts."

The rest of the dinner passed by smoothly and as Pepper was about to load the dishes in to the dishwasher.

"Oh no honey don't do that!" Susan called "It's broken. Somebody is coming to fix it in a few days."

"If you're sure." Pepper looked at her mother sceptically.

"Yes dear, I'm sure." Then in an effort to change the subject. "Joey where are Sarah and the kids?"

"They were busy tonight, the twins had a scout thing."

Tony Stark couldn't sleep, Pepper was soundly asleep next to him, he thought it was weird they could share a bed but had to say grace before dinner. He looked at the digital clock next to the bed, 3:15am, well if he wasn't asleep by now, he probably wouldn't sleep at all.

Tony ventured downstairs and started poking around for a tool box, he eventually found one in the garage, now all he needed was a project, then he saw the dishwasher.

He switched on the radio, managing to find a classic rock station and began to dismantle the dishwasher, he tinkered away until just past 6am Pepper's mother came downstairs.

"Early riser?" She asked, switching on the coffee maker.

"Couldn't sleep." He replied.

"So you decided to dismantle my dishwasher?"

"I fixed it, you had some loose parts." He was slowly rebuilding it."

"Well thank you Tony." She handed him a mug of coffee.

"You don't like me very much do you?" Tony asked, he'd felt the vibe, as polite and friendly Susan Potts had been with Tony there lacked warmth in her voice.

"I don't know you very well, but what I do know is what I read in the trashy magazines at the salon. That you've never had a real girlfriend and that my daughter has been taking out your trash for years."

"She's all I've got. All I've ever had, it took me too long to realise it, but I do love her. Very much." He took a sip of the coffee "She should've left years ago, but she didn't and now she's the most important thing in my life."

Pepper, pretended not to hear the conversation between Tony and her mother, as she hid by the kitchen.

"Just don't hurt her." Susan warned.

"I don't intend to hurt her." Tony looked Susan dead in the eye. "I intend to marry her."

**TBC…**

**Next chapter will contain the reunion, Rob and Pepper's reaction to Tony's revelation. Same as usual please, criticism is appreciated. **


	4. Reunion

**Again big thanks to everyone who is adding this to their favourites/alerts and those reviewing. This chapter was surprisingly hard to write but I hope you enjoy. **

**Reunion**

"Why am I coming to your reunion again?" Tony asked as Pepper tied his bowtie, he was of course capable of doing it himself but there was something domesticated about it that he enjoyed.

"Because you're my boyfriend, I love you and Cindy Ellis is going to be there and she stole class President, Prom Queen and head cheerleader from me in senior year."

"Cheerleader?" Tony smirked at her, he could imagine Pepper in the little cheerleading outfit, and maybe he could convince her to join the Ironman cheerleaders.

"Yes Tony, but I know for a fact that by showing up with you on my arm it will kill her, because her husband manages a Wal-Mart and you're a billionaire superhero."

"I'm here to make your rival jealous." He took a step back "I feel used. No really I do, violated in fact."

Pepper stepped back towards him and finished tying his bowtie. "No you don't."

"You're right it's hot. Is there going to be cat fight? If there is can there be mud or Jell-O?"

"Jell-O?" she wacked his arm.

The couple walked downstairs and said goodbye to Pepper's mother who, had warmed slightly to Tony after their conversation in the kitchen.

Tony pulled his rental car up at the front of the school, where he was greeted by pimple faced teenager who asked if he could park the car before realising he was talking to Iron Man and immediately lost any sense of cool. Tony posed for a photo taken on the kid's cell phone and Pepper and Tony went inside the school.

The lobby contained a desk manned by two more teenagers and Pepper signed in and collected a name badge for herself.

"Do I get a name badge?" Tony asked.

"No."

"Well now I feel left out." He would've continued but was distracted by an image of the 1990 Cheerleading squad, which included one Pepper Potts. He then saw the year book photos on the wall and looked at her entry.

_Virginia Potts_

_Class of 1990- UC Berkley Accounting_

_Cheerleading, Student Council (Secretary), Math Club (President), Softball, Valedictorian_

"_Be Excellent to Each Other!- Bill and Ted"_

"Bill and Ted, Pepper really?" He said as joined him at her side.

"I can't believe I wrote that."

He saw a permanent marker attached to the wall and saw a space under Pepper's entry to write a "new" yearbook quote, he grinned uncapped the marker and scrawled:

_Will that be all Mr Stark?_

"I can't believe you wrote that." She had by now joined him at the year book wall.

"It's like your catch phrase." He placed a small kiss just below her ear and whispered "It's really sexy when you say it."

She blushed, took his hand and said "Will that be all Mr Stark? Because I'd like to join the party now."

"That will be all Miss Potts."

They walked to the gym surrounded by images of Pepper's high school class, arriving at the gym finding it covered in lights and cardboard cut outs of famous New York landmarks like the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Statue of Liberty, a fake times square covered the stage and to get in the gym they walked over a small wooden Brooklyn Bridge.

Tony was shocked "Pepper this is strange."

"It was our senior prom theme…New York, New York"

He laughed, and then listened to the DJ playing Vogue by Madonna.

"Ginny Potts!" A woman rushed over, dragging her date behind her.

"Becky Shepherd?" Pepper hugged the woman.

"It's Owens now." She put her wedding ring in Pepper's face.

"Of course, I'm sorry I couldn't make then wedding. It wasn't a good time."

"Oh I know, with your boss going missing in the desert and all."

Pepper felt Tony's hand tense against hers as it always did when somebody mentioned Afghanistan.

"Ginny meet my husband Andrew." She indicated to the man behind her. Pepper shook his hand and then indicated to Tony.

"This is my boyfriend Tony Stark." Becky looked a little shocked and the men awkwardly shook hands.

"Something wicked this way comes." Becky said and made a quick exit which confused both Pepper and Tony.

"Did I scare them?" Tony asked "I'll fetch us some drinks."

Pepper was about to respond before she realised he was already gone and a voice came from behind her. "Virginia darling so wonderful to see you."

Pepper cringed, it may have been 22 years but she still knew who that voice belonged to.

"Hello Cindy."

"Oh sweetie nobody calls me that anymore, I go by given name Cynthia."

"How are you?"

"Wonderful, what are you up to these days?"

"I live in Cleveland married to a wonderful man named Jasper Henderson."

Pepper noticed she hadn't mentioned a job "I'm out in California"

Cynthia cut her off "Yes that's right, working as a PA for Tony Stark right, I here he's a notorious playboy and if the gossip rags are correct you clean up all of his messes."

"I used to but I'm actually CEO of Stark Industries now." Tony had convinced Pepper during the "transition" period to reconsider and he agreed to stay on as a consultant, he had tried to go for Pepper's PA but she turned him down for that.

"That sounds busy, how does your relationship cope?" Cynthia said snidely.

"Oh we find our ways to cope." Tony reappeared next to Pepper, kissed her to prove a point. "Here you go, one vodka martini, extra olives, at least 3 and very dry."

"You remembered." She smiled

"I know and it only took four years."

Cynthia stood there waiting for the introduction.

"Cynthia meet Tony my boyfriend."

"Charmed" Tony picked up her hand and kissed it.

"The infamous Tony Stark, who knew that our own Virginia Potts would be the one to get you to settle." Cynthia smiled as she said it.

"Love does funny things to people." He placed a protective arm around Pepper's waist. His hand landing on bare back, and memories of the last time she wore that dress flooded his mind.

"Anyway I must be off, plenty of people to see." She smiled at Tony and Pepper, who returned it. "We must catch up sometime." And with that Cynthia disappeared off.

"And who might that delightful woman have been?" Tony asked

"Cindy Ellis, or Cynthia Henderson I think she goes by now." The conversation between the couple flowed easily as Pepper's class mates came over and said hello.

"Excuse me everyone." Cynthia was stood on the stage, when she was convinced she had the attention of the room she started "What's up class of 1990? I remember when we were all last together for a night in New York, so let's go way back." An image of a much younger, and less worked on Tony noticed, Cynthia and another guy appeared on a big screen.

"Your senior class homecoming and prom king and queen, that would be me and I'm sure you all remember Rob Mitchell, in fact here he comes now!" A man wheeled himself on to the stage.

"Hey guys! I'm sure you've all seen the board with our year book photo's so we picked a couple at random and are going to show you how some of us have changed."

The first photo on the board was Cynthia Ellis

_Cynthia Ellis_

_Class of 1990, University of Miami, Dance_

_Cheerleading (Captain), Student Council (President)_

"_Destined to be rich and fabulous!"- Cynthia Ellis_

_High School Sweetheart: Chad Roberts_

A more up to date photo appeared

_Cynthia Henderson_

_Cleveland, OH_

_Proud Housewife, Roberts and CO Law Partners (Paralegal)_

_Current Sweetheart: Jasper Henderson_

"_Still Fabulous"_

The next photo was of the man who joined Cynthia on stage.

_Robert Mitchell_

_Class of 1990_

_Football (Captain), Lacrosse (Captain) _

"_One Two Three Four United States Marine Corps!"_

_High School Sweetheart: Virginia Potts_

Then again the more up to date photo appeared.

_Robert Mitchell _

_Bowling Green, OH_

_Enterprise Rent-a-Car, USMC Gunnery Sergeant _

_Current Sweetheart: Mary Mitchell_

"_Loving Life…Always!"- Rob Mitchell_

"He's a wounded war veteran?" Tony whispered "I'm finding it hard to dislike him" He would've continued had Pepper's picture not appeared on the screen.

_Virginia Potts_

_Class of 1990- UC Berkley Accounting_

_Cheerleading, Student Council (Secretary), Math Club (President), Softball, Valedictorian_

"_Be Excellent to Each Other!- Bill and Ted"_

_High School Sweetheart: Robert Mitchell_

Then it switched to a recent picture from the Stark Expo

_Virginia Potts_

_Malibu, CA _

_CEO Stark Industries, PA to Tony Stark, Stark Accounting Secretary_

_Current Sweetheart: Tony Stark_

"_Will that be all Mr Stark?"_

There was a confused giggle as her new quote appeared.

The photo's continued for about twenty minutes as the rest of the senior class appeared, but by far Pepper had won, not only was she CEO of an international Multi-Billion dollar company she was with the billionaire who owned it.

Rob Mitchell wheeled himself over to her as the evening was coming to an end.

"Virginia Potts, as I live and breathe! According to a certain brother of yours it's a miracle you've even graced us with your presence."

Pepper turned to look at Rob "It's not been that long."

"10 years according to Joe."

"I've been busy." She wrapped her hand around Tony's.

"Mr Stark it's nice to see you again." He shook Tony's free hand. "We met earlier I rented him a car." Rob added for Pepper's benefit.

"Yes I remember, but what I don't remember is you telling me your brother is a cop." Tony added.

"State Trooper actually." Pepper added, she knew Joe had picked Tony up in his cruiser, the not so subtle warning was obvious. "So Rob how have you been?"

"Lost my legs in Iraq" He laughed, "Pretty good actually, moved home, married a nice girl who already had a kid, had a kid of my own. Living it up as much as you can in Bowling Green Ohio! Tell me about you."

"Moved to California, started working for somebody who has nearly had me blown up…twice."

"Over reaction Pep." Tony added.

"The famous Iron Man." Rob said "Hey can I get a picture? The wife's kid he's a huge fan, it'll make me cool if I can say I met Iron Man."

Tony posed for the photo and the left to talk to a computer nerd in Pepper's class, giving the two some privacy.

"He treats you ok, doesn't he Ginny?" Rob added seriously as soon as Tony was out of earshot. "If he doesn't I know some pretty big guys, Marines shouldn't be messed with."

"He treats me wonderfully Rob. He's going to propose, or at least that's what he told my Mom." Rob nodded at the news, and said his goodbyes making her promise not to wait 10 years to speak to him again; he was after all her brother's best friend.

He nearly ran Tony over on his way past "Hey Stark, if you hurt her I will roll my crippled ass to California and kill you."

"Aye Gunny." Tony shook his hand. The couple left soon after, cheerfully waving at Cynthia Henderson who looked disappointed as Pepper left with the hot billionaire and she was left with the balding slightly podgy Wal-Mart manager.

Later that evening they were cuddled up on the couch watching some late night TV before bed.

"Everybody is convinced I'm going to hurt you. Your mom, your brother, your high school boyfriend..."

"I know you won't hurt me." Pepper snuggled in to his side some more.

"I was very well behaved tonight." He points out. "You were not, flaunting me in front of all those gossipy women. I'm convinced you're only with me for the bragging rights. I already said I feel used right?"

"Be quiet Tony. I love you and you know it."

"Will that be all Miss Potts?" He lent down for his kiss.

"No Mr Stark that will not be all."

**TBC…**

**Wow this is a long one for me, I just didn't want to drag it out over a few chapters, although I am considering a whole high school reunion story, expand a bit more and what not. Next chapter…Tahiti **

**Feedback appreciated as always = ) **


	5. Tahiti Sort Of

Woo Tahiti! Again thank you all for the reviews and adding me and this story to alerts and favourites. Sorry this took a while to update, I just got caught up with real life for a while there and I was struggling to write this chapter.

**Tahiti…Sort Of**

"Mr Stark we'll be landing at Bora Bora airport in about 15 minutes." The pilot's voice came across the speakers.

"I thought we were going to Tahiti." Pepper looked at Tony who smiled; a smile unlike the one on the plane to Ohio was smug and knowing.

"Technically we are going to Tahiti; the Island of Bora Bora was annexed by the French. So technically yes we're going to French Polynesia, Bora Bora to be exact, but if you just go with it, I'm still taking you to Tahiti." He leant over and kissed her. "Besides Tahiti, the Island of that is, it's full of tourists doing touristy things. We're going to the Lovers Island, much more romantic."

Later Pepper was stood on the balcony of the suite Tony had booked for their four day vacation. Tony came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled the blackberry from her hand.

"This is too much Tony."

"Nothing's too much for you." Tony whispered against her neck.

"Nearly 7 thousand dollars for four nights in Bora Bora is a lot of money Tony." She leant back in to him as he continued to kiss her.

"Totally worth it." He chuckled as he pulled her back in to the room.

It was nearly sunset by the time Tony and Pepper emerged from the bedroom back on to the balcony. Tony glanced at his watch. "The boat will be here in a minute."

"Boat?" Pepper looked at him, he grinned back at her.

"I booked us a boat to take us on a sunset cruise with a four course dinner, hence the activity. I needed you to have an appetite."

Pepper looked at him, how did he plan this? The boat pulled up at a slipway attached, it was a medium sized boat with fairy lights hanging off it, soft music playing with cushions and a picnic blanket set up on the deck.

"This looks cozy." Pepper hadn't realised he'd joined her on the small dock waiting to board the boat.

"It looks wonderful Tony, thank you."

Tony smiled, and climbed on the boat after her.

_Flash Back!_

_Rhodey, Tony and Happy were stood in a small store, it was open much later than it should've been, but when a billionaire calls up and says he needs something and he needs to buy it in secret (for a hefty commission of course) then people are inclined to help. _

"_There are a number of things I thought would never happen." Rhodey said as Tony looked at the tray in front of him. "You being a superhero, that's one thing, a villain maybe. Getting laid on a private jet by a pole dancing flight attendant on my way to active war zone, being banned from a casino in Vegas, nearly being beat up in Vegas because my buddy was card counting, getting laid during a Christmas foam party, who the hell has a foam party as their office Christmas party by the way, being hijacked by a Russian crazy genius, nearly getting blown up fighting giant robots, cussed out by the Crown Prince of Monaco…"_

"_Is this going somewhere?" Tony asked, he had fond memories of all of the activities Rhodey had mentioned._

"_My point is, all of those things have happened because of you…"_

"_I didn't steal the suit and get it hijacked by an angry Russian, you did the blame for nearly being blown up by Hammer drones lies with you Rhodey." Tony interrupted again. "These are no good, got anything else?" He asks the attendant _

"_My point Tony is that all this crazy messed up shit happens around you. But the one thing I've been able to count on is you not getting in a committed relationship, then that happened and then the universe must be imploding or something, because I never thought I'd be in Tiffany and Co helping you chose an engagement ring for Pepper Potts."_

"_Imploding huh? What will happen when I ask you to be my best man?" Tony didn't even look up this time. _

_End Flashback._

The boat trip was romantic, it sailed around the Island of Bora Bora with the sun slowly setting in the distant making the tropical paradise look even more magical. The food was delicious and Tony had been whispering sweet nothings in her ear all night.

"I love you Pepper." Tony shifted so he was sat in front of her.

"I love you too Tony." Pepper leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips.

"You complete me." He returned the kiss, "There was always something missing in my life and that thing was you Pepper. It's amazing and wonderful and everything just feels perfect. I want to give you the world and everything in it and I can't ask for anything more than just your love. But my hearts broken Pepper…" he shifted so that he was on one knee, he was concentrating on getting it right, he didn't even here her surprised gasp "…and so I am going ask one thing of you miss Potts, can I have yours?" He slipped a hand in to his pocket and pulled out a ring. "Virginia Potts will you marry me?"

Pepper was crying, the man flew her out to a tropical paradise so he could ask her to marry him. She couldn't make the words come out so all she could do was nod. It wasn't the first time he'd made her speechless but he assumed that this time it was a good thing.

It was much later when Pepper was lying in bed with Tony asleep that she felt herself admiring the ring on her finger in the blue glow of his arc reactor. It was a solitary cut diamond on a platinum band with small diamond leading down the band away from the large one.

"You didn't have to ask for my heart Anthony Stark, you already had it."

"That's good to know Pep." She squeaked when she realised he was awake, he chuckled "Sorry, but you're using me as your own personal little lamp. I'm not like the one on your desk, I notice when you move me about. You like the ring?"

"I love the ring, it's perfect. I'm glad you didn't a giant diamond."

"You don't like flashy jewellery." He kissed his fiancé, a thought which made him obscenely happy.

_Flashback_

"_Honestly boss, Pepper doesn't like big and flashy she'd prefer something smaller." Happy was begging his boss not to design the biggest flashiest ring he could on the computer, the poor store manager wanted to go home._

"_Yeah Tony man, smaller doesn't mean you love her less. Trust us on this one." Rhodey, who liked to disagree with Tony just for fun, now desperately wanted his friend to listen._

_It only took half an hour but Tony finally caved and ordered the ring much to the man's delight. "Thank you very much Mr Stark we'll call as soon as it's ready." Tony paid by cash, because Pepper still checked his expense reports he could talk away $15,000 on a night out with his boys._

_End Flashback!_

The rest of the vacation passed by in a blur, they'd gone on a 4x4 trip around the jungle on the island for a day, spent a morning jet skiing around the lagoon, well Tony did, Pepper just wrapped arms round his waist and screamed. He wanted her wrapped around him screaming, but this wasn't what he had in mind, they'd spent the afternoon scuba diving through Muri Muri seeing turtles, dolphins and the occasional shark. Another day was spent alternating between snorkelling along the reef looking at sting rays and other tropical fish and lounging on the beach. The final day was spent shopping, they collected a large print of the photo the boat tour had taken of Tony on one knee, ring in front of Pepper who was just staring at him, as well as a picture of the Island at sunset for Pepper's office. Their final evening was spent at the famous Bloody Mary's restaurant where they had a wonderful dinner and spent the evening dancing.

Pepper looked out the window of Tony's jet watching as the Islands of French Polynesia faded in to the background and were replaced with the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. "Don't be sad Pepper." Tony looked up from his laptop "We'll come back, there's the honeymoon, or it could be our spot."

She smiled at him asked him what he was working on. "Press release announcing our engagement. I usually leave that sort of thing up to you, but this I want to do myself."

**From: **

**To: .com**

**CC: **

**Frank, I've drafted a press release for you. I promise it's not a hoax, let's get it out asap:**

**On their vacation to Bora Bora (French Polynesia) Tony Stark proposed to girlfriend Virginia "Pepper" Potts, who accepted. No date has been set yet, the couple ask for a little privacy during this special time for them.**

**Thanks**

**Tony. **

**P.S. no joke, I'm deadly serious.**

**TBC…**

The engagement ring is this from Tiffany's (it's the 1.5 carat Lucinda with diamond band) costs about $15,000 and the room they stayed in was the King over water Royal Suite at the Hilton Hotel (over $1000 a night) all the activities they did are recommended as part of the 5-day itinerary on the Bora Bora tourist website.

Websites:

./HiWayWeb/appmanager/portals/reservation?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=reservationPortal_mainBook_reservationBook_reservationPage&hotelBrandCode=HI&fromPageLabel=searchPortal_hotelSearchResultsPage&ctyhocn=PPTBNHI&portalFrom=search&fromDesktopName=search

.?GroupSku=GRP10056&selectedSku=26885868#f+0/1003/2001/3001/0/2001


	6. Celebrity Basketball

I was a little heartbroken to discover FF removed anything that looked like a link in the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy this one.

**Celebrity Basketball**

_Tony Stark Settling Down?_

_It's not often that celebrities are able to carry on secret affairs behind the backs of the press in Hollywood, so imagine the surprise when Stark PR officials announced that Tony Stark, majority shareholder, figure head and CTO was going to marry his CEO Virginia "Pepper" Potts, a familiar face at any event Stark attends. But this leads to the question, how did they hide the relationship?..._

A chuckle from behind interrupted Pepper's reading. "We didn't really hide it." Tony's amusement evident in the way he said it.

"No we didn't, we just didn't walk around with a neon flashing sign announcing it either." Pepper said and went back to her reading. She was a closet gossip freak, New York and LA Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post were all regular reads for Miss Potts, but once a week a sinful delivery of US weekly, People and to Tony's shock and horror a National Enquirer, was made to the Malibu mansion and Pepper would spend hours flipping through the glossy magazines.

…_This reporter will examine all the secret details of what the office is now referring to as Pepperony…_

"Pepperony? For the love of all that is holy!" Tony moaned as he read over her shoulder

"Be quiet Tony." Pepper snapped, this was her time and if she wanted to read trashy magazines, even if they were about her then she would.

"Mr Stark?" Tony's new PA, a young man named Jeremy hired by Pepper appeared.

_Flash Back!_

"_Jeremy is a perfect candidate Tony!" Pepper fumed, she resented the idea he thought she could continue to be his PA and CEO ("You've been doing it for years!" he argued)_

"_But…"_

"_No buts Tony, it's either him or I'll find a terrifying woman named Frau Schmitt, who I know for a fact is no longer working at your old school, retired but she remembers you…fondly."_

_Helga Schmitt, a clichéd name if he ever heard one, the woman was evil. She snuck across from East Berlin and got a job as house matron at the very expensive boarding school Tony's parents had sent him too. She did not like Anthony Stark._

"_Fine Jeremy what's his face it is." Pepper Potts played dirty, he'd get his revenge somehow._

_End Flash Back!_

"Mr Stark, I received a phone call from a Michael Mirisch, he says they're putting together a team of former Hollywood Knights to play with some veterans against the current Knights wants to know if you'll be playing."

"When is it?" Tony asked

"Tonight, Mr Stark they had a dropout and are looking for a replacement player." Jeremy said, he was nervous around his boss especially when he appeared to be in the middle of a personal moment with Miss Potts "Your schedule is clear sir, I know you wanted an evening off…"

"What do you think Miss Potts? Ready for our first public outing since the engagement announcement?" Tony cut the poor boy off.

"I think it's a great idea Tony. Jarvis why don't see about booking me a ticket for the game."

"With pleasure Miss Potts."

"I'll let them know you'll be playing then Mr Stark." Jeremy hurried out of the room.

"Will courtside be ok Miss Potts?"

"Perfect Jarvis thank you."

Later that evening Happy jogged around to open the car door for Tony who climbed out, pulling Pepper out with him, camera bulbs flashing everywhere.

"Mr Stark!" A man jogged over, so glad you could make it. The 'Veterans' team is in the away dressing room, I'll take you down as soon as find somebody to escort Miss Potts to her seat.

Pepper sat in the VIP bar of the Staples centre as the stadium began to fill up, it was a two part event, the first was an LA Laker skill competition for an hour, where the players would show off every trick in the book to try and impress the crowd, then the Hollywood Knights vs Veterans would start and the evening would be rounded off by a charity concert. Needless to say the event was sold out, how Pepper had managed to snag a ticket was beyond her.

The announcement was made that the game would soon start and so Pepper took her seat next and just before the game started her blackberry rang.

"Night out with me Potts and you're still answering your phone." Tony's amused voice came out of the device.

"Tony you should be getting ready for the game."

"I am ready, so ready I'm just about to head out, but there's going to be an announcement in the minute, try not to look surprised just smile and nod." He was talking quickly and Pepper could hear that they were getting ready to make an entrance.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls welcome to tonight's special event in aid of the Los Angeles Veterans Hospital! Tonight you've seen the LA Lakers take on themselves and you'll be seeing the Hollywood Knights take on their own as well as a few of the vets the hospital helps." The announcer paused as the crowd applauded. "All of the profits from tonight's event will be donated to the LA VA Centre and as we've just been told Stark Industries plans to match tonight's donation!" Pepper suddenly appeared on the big screen as the crowd applauded her and her company 'Tony just you wait' she thought.

The players ran out on to the court, Tony was the last player announced "…who unfortunately had to pull out due to injury so without further ado, you may have seen him in the skies above us, he goes by the name of Iron Man, please put your hands together for Tony Stark!"

The stadium erupted in cheers as Tony jogged out on to the basketball court. The game progressed well until the final 5 minutes when Tony took an intentional foul to the chest, the guy who blocked him was grabbing his wrist in agony whilst Tony was on the floor clutching the arc reactor. Some paramedics helped him to his feet and he stumbled to the side where he was joined immediately by Pepper.

"I'm fine Pepper, honestly they just knocked it. I'll let Jarvis do a full check when we get back." Tony then got to his feet took a drink and waved to the audience to let them know he was fine. The game ended and Tony joined Pepper in a VIP area as the concert bellow began.

"We're matching tonight's donation?" Pepper looked at him and he wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Think of it from a business standpoint Pepper, tax write off and insanely good advertising and PR that…" She cut him off with a kiss and informed him that she didn't mind, she'd just like more than 20 seconds notice the next time.

"Mr Stark, how about a picture of you and Miss Potts?" A photographer asked, and the couple complied, Tony and Pepper turned his arm still round her waist and kissed her cheek as the photo was taken.

"Sorry I ruined movie night." Tony said.

"It's ok, this is a charity event after all and it's nice to see you doing something good that doesn't involve a shiny metal suit."

He would've responded however his cell going off meant that their conversation was cut short, he disappeared outside for a moment. His hasty return with Happy and a red and gold briefcase in tow told her all she needed to know.

She placed a loving kiss on his lips. "Be careful and come home safe."

He returned her kiss "Always."

**TBC…**

**Hope you enjoyed this one, their weddings is coming up in the chapter after the next one, I'm trying not to draw this out too much or this story will go on forever. **

**Feedback always appreciated (positive or not), so hit that review button please =)**


	7. Hot Dogs and Baseball Caps

**I have an exam next week, and because I'm the master procrastinator I'm beginning to find ways to avoid studying such as writing another chapter or two. **

**Hot Dogs and Baseball Caps**

**From: **VPotts

**To: **AEStark

Tony,

Don't forget we've got a lunchtime appointment with the caterer for the wedding. Just because you've broken an ankle doesn't mean you can get out of it!

Love

Pepper xxx

**From: **JOsman

**To: **AEStark

Mr Stark, Miss Potts wanted me to remind you that you've got a lunchtime appointment with her and then you're both travelling out to NYC to do the late show. Please don't forget, Mr Hogan will be around with the car at 12:30 to pick you up.

Jeremy.

Tony chuckled as Jarvis. He'd projected the two emails on Tony's screen. He'd programmed Jarvis to always show messages from either Pepper or his PA, because Pepper threatened to withhold sex if he didn't. He checked his watch it was 11:45 so he figured he'd better go and get dressed, of course what was another 15 minutes tinkering away. "Jarvis mute."

"Anthony Stark!" Pepper turned down his music and shouted his name to get his attention. "You are two hours late for our lunch!"

He picked up his crutches and hobbled over her. "Sorry, I thought I had time to finish installing the new fuel pump on the hot rod, I muted Jarvis so I guess he couldn't remind me. I'll change that, Jarvis make a note, I'll be adding a new protocol when I get a chance. Now, I'm going to go shower, we have a plane to catch!" Pepper stood there mouth open staring at him, she couldn't deny that the man was always able to surprise her.

Pepper was sat in the audience of Letterman as he announced his next guest Tony Stark, who hobbled on stage to the music of AC/DC's Iron Man.

"Welcome Tony, it's good to have you here. Maybe you could start by telling us what's wrong with your leg."

"I missed a meeting with the caterer for my wedding so my fiancé punished me." He was straight faced as he said it and the audience chuckled, eliciting a small smile. "No I uh, misjudged the stability of my balcony landing to surprise Pepper when I got back from my last outing as Iron Man."

The audience howled with laughter. "Ah yes…Miss Potts, current CEO of Stark Industries. Your engagement announcement caused a little bit of a stir. Nobody even knew you were together!"

"Now that's not true, Jeremy my PA, Carol Pepper's PA, Rhodes, Pepper's mom and brother and her whole high school class, Happy Hogan…" He smiled "We weren't even trying to be secret, we went to dinner, saw a movie all that coupley stuff that people do. It's just people were so used to seeing us together it, nobody suspected anything."

"Any dates in mind yet?"

"Uh…next week, I think." He looked at the audience like he knew the answer. "Pepper, we're getting married next week right?" He looked in to the audience and the camera panned to Pepper.

"Yes Tony next week. Don't be late ok!" She called on to stage.

The interview continued in jokey manner, eventually moving on to Iron Man and saving the world. Pepper met Tony back stage after the interview.

"You're a charming bastard you know that." He grinned and kissed her.

"I know. I'm amazing." He grabbed her hand and led her out of the studio to Happy who was waiting with the car.

"Great show tonight boss." He greeted cheerfully, they got in the car and began driving, and Pepper noticed the route they were taking wasn't to the hotel that she thought they were staying at but found they were instead heading to Brooklyn.

"Where are we going?" She asked curiously staring at the passing cables of the Brooklyn Bridge.

"My parent's house." She looked surprised, she knew he kept the property but as far as she was aware never visited it. He had a penthouse on the Upper East Side, beach house in the Hamptons and he was very fond of the penthouse suite in the Waldorf Astoria with a view looking over the East River and Central Park.

Pepper stood in Tony's old bedroom and looked out of a telescope pointing out of the Window; she could see the lights on a Ferris wheel and an old rollercoaster illuminated by lights. "Tony is that Cony Island?"

"Yeah, I used to love staring at that, Dad would always take me over and ride it on a Sunday after church."

"Tony Stark in a church?" Pepper laughed at the idea.

"Maria Stark is not a woman to be messed with." There was a hint of sadness in his voice so Pepper reached out and grabbed his hand. "We'll go over tomorrow, we'll have a Nathan's and we can ride the cyclone and the wheel, walk on the beach."

"Sounds wonderful." She led him over to bed "But right now it's time to sleep." Tony smiled, but not for the reason she was, he was up to something and she had no idea.

Pepper rose early out of habit, it was a Saturday morning at it was 7am. She tried to get out of bed.

"To early Pepper, come back to bed." He grabbed her waist and pulled her back down. 'What's one morning of just cuddling in bed watching the sun come up?' she thought and she allowed herself to be pulled back in to Tony's embrace.

It was nearly 11am when Tony woke her with a cup of coffee he was showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt "wakey wakey eggs and bacy!" he wafted the cup in her face. She smiled and took the coffee "eggs and bacon?" she looked at him expectedly.

"Not for you Pepper. Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs are the breakfast of Champions!" She drank her coffee and within the hour found herself in the back of a car driven surprisingly by Tony and not Happy.

"I wanted him to have the day off. He never really gets to explore the city." Tony smiled at her in the passenger seat. They pulled up outside of the Cony Island pleasure park and got out of the car. "First stop is breakfast." He pulled her towards the Nathan's stand and sat her down at a table whilst he went and grabbed the food.

"For my lady I present 2 large hot dogs with chilli and cheese, onion rings, fries and two lemonades." Tony placed the tray on the table in front of her.

"Tony think of the calories…"

"Virginia Potts do you trust me?" Tony looked her, going for serious but the corners of his lips held the faint hints of a smile.

"You know I do." She responded taking his hand

"Well then, stop thinking and eat the hot dog Pepper." She smiled and picked up her hot dog.

Tony was about to pick up his own when he felt a small arm tugging at his side. " 'Scuse me mister, are you Iron Man."

Tony grinned at the child. "Sammy, leave the man alone he's trying to eat!" Tony presumed it was the boy's mother.

"But Mommy! He's Iron Man!" The little boy protested. "I don't care Samuel, you don't run off and you don't listen to strangers." She looked at Tony "I'm really sorry Mr Stark, I didn't mean to interrupt your lunch."

"It's fine, I like meeting the fans. Maybe he wants a picture?" Tony smiled at the woman and her son. The woman pulled a camera out of her purse and was about to take the picture.

"Ma'am maybe you'd like to be in the picture?" A voice said behind her, Steve Rodgers held out his hand and took the woman's camera from her. A photo later and the boy and his mother disappeared in to the crowd.

"Can't even get a hot dog without causing a fuss can you Stark?"

"What can I say the people love me." He shifted round the bench to sit closer to Pepper. "Take a seat twinkle toes."

Steve joined the two at the table and they ate their hotdogs. Tony was unhappy as Pepper and Steve seemed to be spending the whole time mocking him. "I'm going to have to go. Stark I'll see you around, Miss Potts it was wonderful to see you again."

"What are the odds of two super heroes being at the same hot dog stand together?" Pepper asked as she finished off her Lemonade.

"I could text Jarvis and ask for you if you want?" He offered as he stood, held out his hand and pulled her with him. They wandered the park, Tony winning Pepper a small stuffed frog off of a game in Luna Park, he then took her on the Ferris wheel, laughing when she freaked out when the carriage made the drop in to the inner wheel and kissed her at the top. He held her hand as the rattled around their seats on the cyclone, took her down on a walk towards the Brooklyn Cyclones a minor league team that Tony financially backed out of his pocket, buying her a cap and watching as she pulled it on her head. Pepper Potts in a baseball cap, he laughed at the thought. It was so un-Pepper.

The sun was setting as they drove back to Tony's house and she gasped when they pulled up to the drive way. The house was illuminated by fairy lights.

"There's something for you in the guest bedroom go and put it on." He kissed her led her to the bedroom, before returning to his room to put on his own suit.

15 minutes later Pepper was shaken out of her own little world by her mother and brother knocking on the door.

"Sweetie are you ready?" Susan Potts asked, nearly crying at the sight of her daughter in a wedding dress.

"What's going on Mom?" She asked, she was confused, well confused was an understatement.

"Tony organised everything, I think he wanted to surprise you."

"Well he did." Pepper said as her mother sorted her hair. She left the room and was embraced by her bother.

"You ready to get hitched baby sister?" Pride seemed to be stuck to his face.

He led her from the kitchen to the back garden, she was shocked to see Rhodey, her mother, both hers and Tony Assistants, the head of R&D (Tony's only real friend in the company), Obadiah Stane's wife (that surprised her the most), her brother's wife and two twin boys, a few of Pepper's friends from California, her friend Becky Owens and her husband, Happy, Natasha, Steve Rodgers, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross and Clint Barton. All in all there were about 30 people in the back garden of Tony's secret Brooklyn house.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Anthony Edward Stark and Virginia Potts…" The Justice of the Peace started the ceremony and talked about marriage and commitment and then stopped. "Mr Stark I believe you had something prepared…"

"Pepper, for 10 years you ran my life and now I can't imagine it without you. I know this isn't the wedding you planned but it's our friends and our family and that's what's important. So today in front of the people who know us best I'm promising that I'll never leave you, never hurt you and always love you. Because you Pepper Potts are my entire world and I want everybody to know it."

Pepper had tears in her eyes when Tony finished talking the Justice of the Peace asked if Pepper wanted to add anything. All Pepper could manage was an "I love you so much Tony."

The Justice of the Peace started again "Do you Anthony Edward Stark take Virginia Potts as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer till death do you part?"

Tony took the ring from Rhodey and slipped it on to Pepper's finger. "I do."

"Do you Virginia Potts take Anthony Edward Stark as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer till death do you part?

"I do." Pepper took the ring from her Jenny, her brother's wife (his high school sweetheart) and slipped it on to Tony's finger.

"By the power vested in me by the State of New York I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Tony in the cheesiest way ever took Pepper in to his arms and bent her over as he kissed her. "Ladies and Gentlemen it is my pleasure to introduce you for the first time to Mr and Mrs Anthony Stark!"

The small party clapped and cheered as Tony led Pepper back down the makeshift Isle in to the house, making sure to carry her over the threshold before taking her to his room.

"How did you pull it off Tony?" Pepper said after he put her down on her feet.

"Well I made some calls, got hold of the people on your list who I knew you really wanted there and had your dress shipped, I've been organising this for weeks Mrs Stark." He broke out in to an enormous grin as he said it.

He slipped her wedding ring off her finger and held it up for her to see, it was slightly thinner than the one she's placed on him. It was platinum like her wedding ring and had a group of diamonds in the middle and if you looked closely the diamonds formed the shape of an arc reactor. If you didn't know what you were looking at you'd think the ring was flawed. The inscription on the inside of the band said "_Proof that Tony Stark has a heart" _She looked like she was going to cry again, Tony slipped the ring back on her finger kissing her ring finger.

"Pep, you should really start reading what you're signing. It was so easy for Carol to trick you in to signing our marriage licence."

Pepper laughed, she always read what Tony signed, but since she was now the person who had to sign everything she realised why he just scrawled his signature on documents, there was just too many.

"Vacation's over. We've got guests waiting." Tony led her from the room back towards the party in the back yard.

**TBC…**

So much mushiness these last few chapters… it's almost cringe worthy. There is a little bit of angst coming, but it's not Iron Man without it. Feedback is always appreciated as well as constructive criticism. The next chapter will be the reception and the honeymoon.


	8. Seen It All

**Seen it All**

Tony Stark had been to a few wedding parties in his time, he always tried to hook up with the maid of honour and even this one time the mother of the bride. The father of the bride hadn't been too happy to catch them and that particular friend never called anymore, the wife had probably been involved in that decision because the groom had said he understood it, his mother in law was a total MILF.

Tony never expected to be dancing in his backyard with his own mother in law watching as his new wife chatted to their guests.

"I can practically hear you thinking Tony." Susan Potts said.

"I just never imagined myself in this situation."

Susan smiled at her daughter's husband. She genuinely liked him, sure she'd been dubious about him at first but everything he'd done since he started dating her daughter had been incredible. He seemed to be making every effort known to man to ensure that she was the happiest woman on the planet.

"Tony who is that woman sat in the corner?" She asked him.

"Mary Stane, she was Obadiah's wife. She was like a mother to me after my parents died, I never thanked her, I just thought she'd like to be here."

"She looks sad Tony, perhaps you should go talk to her." Tony smiled and escorted Pepper's mom back to her seat before walking over to Mary and asking her for a dance.

"I wasn't expecting to be at your wedding Anthony." She said

"Nobody was."

"No, I didn't mean like that. I know what happened with Obadiah at the end and I just didn't think you'd want me here." She said softly.

"You've always been there for me. I just wanted to thank you. Any issues Obie had are not yours."

"Thank you Anthony." She kissed him on the cheek and they continued to dance in silence.

It was a number of dances before Tony was able to grab his new wife for their first dance. Pepper smiled as she realised it was the song they were dancing to the night of the fire fighter's benefit.

"So you're dancing with your former boss and a party in front of all your friends and family, is it making you uncomfortable? I'm sure you remembered deodorant this time. I'm still the majority shareholder of Stark Industries, I could have you removed as CEO if that'll help."

"No Tony I don't think that's necessary. This is all perfect, not weird at all."

"Not weird at all?" He smiled, the memory of the conversation that started their romantic relationship made him smile. "You want to run that by me again?" He leant forward and kissed his wife.

The next guy who got to dance with Pepper was Rhodey. "Did you ever think you'd see that?" He asked indicating to Tony who, was currently playing with her nephews under a tree. Pepper smiled a thousand watt smile as she watched him struggle as the two boys fought the invincible Iron Man. "Jim do you mind…"

"Go on Pepper, I'll get my dance later." Rhodey let her go and watched as she walked over to Tony, whispered something to the boys who shot off to find their parents.

"I never thought I'd see the day where Tony Stark was rolling around on the grass playing with kids." Pepper smiled at him, he pulled himself off the ground and indicated to something on the tree bark.

Carved in to the tree were a tiny H&M "Your parents?" Pepper asked him.

"Yeah." He said as reached back down on to the floor and picked up a small metal rod. He began scratching at the tree.

"Tony what are you doing?" She asked, but he just grinned and kept working. When he was done she smiled as she saw that he'd carved a T&P "A 'P' Tony?"

"Nobody call's you Virginia, you'll always be Pepper to me."

"Your just full of romance today aren't you Mr Stark."

"You wouldn't have me any other way." He smiled at her.

"Aunty Ginny, Uncle Tony, it's time for speeches."

First Rhodey stood up.

"Tony's one of those guys where you don't know what's going to happen. With Tony I've been cussed out by Royalty, nearly blown up and got banned from the Bellagio, nothing this man does surprises me." There was an amused chuckle from the party. "He has surprised me though. Not only has he managed to convince Pepper to stick around for 10 years, he's convinced her to marry him. So to Tony, I'd like to raise a glass and congratulate my friend. To Pepper all I can say is good luck." There was another laugh. "To Tony and Pepper ladies and gentlemen"

"To Tony and Pepper!" The crowd called back.

More speeches followed and when the final piece of cake had been shoved in to each other's faces, Tony had ripped a garter off Pepper with his teeth and flung it were it was caught by Steve, who just looked at it and Pepper's bouquet had been tossed and caught by a confused Air Force colonel. The happy couple who had said goodbye to their final guest retired to their bedroom.

"Wedding finished." Tony smiled at his wife. "Will that be all Mrs Stark?"

Pepper grabbed his tie and pulled him down on the bed "No Mr Stark that definitely will not be all."

…

Tony Stark knew at that moment he was the luckiest man on the planet. Here he was on his own private Caribbean Island with the woman he loved asleep naked on his chest. Yes Tony Stark was a lucky man, and he felt his wife beginning to stir.

"Good you're awake." He smiled

"God Tony you're insatiable." Pepper smiled and snuggled in to his chest.

"No we've got a busy day, planes to catch, exotic sights to see." He rolled on top of her "Although it's my plane, the point of having a private plane is that it doesn't leave without you."

They emerged in the afternoon and one of the Island's staff drove them to the waiting air strip where their private plane was waiting to take them.

Tony got out of the car first, ran around to Pepper's side opened her door and then covered her eyes as he led her up the steps of the jet.

"Tony I've seen the inside of the jet before it's nothing new."

"Uh huh, just go with it Virginia."

He stopped in the door and uncovered her eyes. The cabin was filled with flowers and a holographic projection of a house. "I…uh got you a wedding present." He said nervously.

Pepper played with the projection. It was a large cabin on stilts, it had a master bedroom and kitchen, lounge, balcony, boat slip "It's in Bora Bora. I thought like I said we could make it our spot. It's in a secluded little spot, in between one of the smaller islands with a view of the main Island…"

He was cut off by a kiss. "It's not ready yet you know. They're building it, or rather they'll start as soon as they get the go from you." Tony finished once Pepper and finished with his lips.

"From me?" Pepper was surprised.

"Yes Pepper, it's your house."

"Our house." She corrected him it got her a smile and another kiss.

The plane touched down in Rio de Janeiro and they then travelled to Tony's beachside apartment, whilst in Brazil Tony took her to see the Statue of Christ, Copacabana beach and they spent some time in the rainforest.

From Brazil they flew East stopping in South Africa to see Cape Town and spend a night of Safari, they went up to Egypt where they saw the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, scuba diving in the red sea and watching Pepper float along the Dead Sea when they stopped in Jerusalem.

They travelled through Greece seeing Athens and Olympia before flying on to Naples so they could visit Pompeii and then to Rome, where they spent a few days doing all the touristy things that people did. Pepper was unsure of whether to be annoyed or amused at Tony trying to find evidence of the Da Vinci code in the Vatican.

From Rome they headed north Pepper went shopping in Milan and Tony shipped all of her new purchases home (she later apologised for going a little crazy, he was happy to see her let loose). They also lunched on top of a Cathedral and were nearly thrown out of Tony pointed out rather loudly that the Statue of St Bernard looked like Gollum and began to spout off some of his more famous lines. They stayed in a small town called Peschiera on the shore of Lake Garda where Tony nearly got them killed when he parked the boat they rented in a shipping lane and they were nearly run over by a ferry when it wouldn't start again. Then the couple spent a day walking around Verona. Tony quoting Shakespeare the whole way round, every time they stopped at sight mentioned in Romeo and Juliet he would whisper the quote on the wall in to her ear changing Romeo for Tony and Juliet for Pepper. He finally got her to Venice where they travelled via gondola and kissed as they passed under the Bridge of Sighs, Pepper dragged him round the Doge Palace where he discovered the Doge's were hugely fond of meeting rooms.

Salzburg was the next stop and he stood on a fountain in the middle of the city and sung a The Lonely Goat Herd on the fountain from the Sound of Music (Pepper's favourite film, he'd never seen it. She was horrified to hear it). They then travelled to Berlin and Paris, where Pepper again shopped till she literally dropped and Tony carried her sleeping body from the cab to the hotel overlooking the Eiffel Tower, at the top of which he kissed her and declared his love. They saw Notre Dame Cathedral with Tony humming songs from the Disney Movie the whole time, the Louvre, walked along the Champ Elise and explored some of the historic palaces.

London was next, like some places on their trip they'd been before but it was mostly boring meetings and Tony wanted back in Malibu as quick as possible. They spent one day doing the tourist thing, riding the underground to all the sights, like Parliament square, rode the London Eye, St Pauls Cathedral, Walked through Horse guard's parade St James' Park and saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The new Mr and Mrs Stark spent a lot of time trying to get the guards to smile, Tony nearly succeeded, however the guard marched off to stretch his legs, although Pepper thought it was to get away from them. That night they saw a West End show and dinned in Leicester Square, TGI Friday's wasn't what she had in mind, but Tony's face lit up when he saw it.

The next day was spent at the Tower of London, they lined up to see the crown jewels.

"I could buy you better." Tony pointed out "Or I'll buy you those."

"You can't buy the Imperial State Crown Tony." Pepper laughed.

"I'm Iron Man I can do what I like." He realised they were on Tower Green, where King Henry had held most of his executions "Off with her head!" He yelled in a poor English accent that had an angry Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) yelling at him to shut up. The afternoon was spent in the museum of science and technology, Tony regressed to about the age 5 as he played with everything and tried (in vain) to explain stuff to Pepper. The last thing they did before leaving London was have afternoon tea in Harrods.

On the flight across the Atlantic to Florida (a last minute addition by Tony who was horrified Pepper had never been to Disney World) Pepper finally convinced him to watch the Sound of Music (he couldn't deny her, she'd finally let him induct her in to the mile high club). In Florida it was Pepper who'd regressed to a child not Tony. Magic Kingdom was Tony's favourite, who knew Pepper Potts was on expert on Disney Princesses? They visited the rest of the Disney Parks, during the Beauty and the Beast show Tony had whispered as Beast fell in love with Bell "You realise that's me and you right? Our love is a fairy tale." It was possibly one of the most romantic things Pepper had ever heard in her entire life. They visited the rest of the Disney Parks, Universal Studio's and the Kennedy Space Centre before returning to Magic Kingdom to have lunch with the Disney Princesses (Pepper and Tony were the only childless adults there but she didn't mind) and they saw the spectacular firework show, it was the perfect way to end their honeymoon.

On the plane back to Malibu Tony crashed out on the plane, he'd spent the last 3 months trying to make everything perfect he'd wiped himself out. Pepper snuggled up on the couch with him and promptly fell asleep.

Happy Hogan dropped them home and Tony once again carried his bride over the Threshold where Jarvis said "Welcome home Mr and Mrs Stark."

They were home and everything was perfect.

**TBC…**

**I'm a little nervous about this chapter so you'll have to let me know what you all think. I kind of blasted through the Honeymoon I wasn't too sure how to write it and I wanted to go for something different.**

**The Doge Palace in Venice really is just full of meeting rooms, I thought it would be cool but it wasn't (well it was Venice of course it was cool). You can lunch on top of the cathedral in Milan, Verona is full of Romeo and Juliet quotes and the story about the boat is true. It happened to my family whilst we were there the ferry was blasting its horn and we were still trying to pull my brother back in to the boat. If you get a chance YouTube "**_**Yeoman Warder at Tower of London Part One of Four." **_**It's a hilarious tour done by a real beefeater I was crying with laughter.**

**Seriously, I'd like feedback for this chapter guys. I'm super nervous about it =)**


	9. Even a Genius can Get it Wrong

**Even a Genius can Get it Wrong**

Pepper had been back at work for 3 months, she remembered walking in to her office to see that whilst they'd been away the plaque on the door now read _Virginia Stark CEO_ and that her office had been redecorated, new carpets, new paint, a large canvas print of Bora Bora on her desk was a photo of Tony slipping a ring on her finger at their wedding, there was a new couch a new desk chair and new comfy seats for guests. The bookcase was now void of Tony's books and replaced with a few of her own. Yes her husband had been a busy boy, when she asked him about it he shrugged his shoulders and pretended not to be the culprit.

The previously aforementioned husband wandered in to her office just before lunch, he placed a salad and a coffee on the small table in front of her new couch before dragging her over to the sofa sitting her down, slipping off her heels and massaged her feet whilst she worked.

"What have you done?" Pepper asked suspiciously, the last time he was this nice to her, she came home to find a gaping hole in the middle of her bedroom.

"Nothing. We're newlyweds isn't me being ridiculously romantic part of the whole honeymoon period thing?" He grinned "I can go if you want. Back to playing with the toys in R&D…"

"So you're actually working from your office today?" Pepper laughed

"Yes, Jarvis said I'd have better luck getting a date out of you tonight if I asked you in person. Video calling doesn't count, so I came to work today."

"A date? See I knew you had ulterior motives for being nice to me."

"I'm always nice to you Mrs Stark." He used his free hand to pull out a pair of theatre tickets out of his pocket.

Pepper looked at them "The Sound of Music? I thought you didn't like it?"

"I don't but it's your favourite film and I thought we should you know, leave the house. Not that I'm complaining about all the activities we've been doing in the house. They've definitely been uh…fun."

"Date night." Pepper stated.

"Yes date night. Tony and Pepper time, no cell phones, no incompetent robots."

"Sounds wonderful Tony." He finished her foot rub and then he stood. "Back to work Mrs Stark, this place isn't going to run its self!" He left the office and Pepper returned to her computer going over financial reports, invoices, and R&D memos but unlike before Tony visited she was smiling.

Later that evening Tony was stood next to the Audi R8 waiting for Pepper to finally join him downstairs, when she did he thought she looked stunning in navy blue, strapless dress. "Totally worth the wait." He murmured as he opened her car door for her. "You carriage awaits." Pepper climbed in to the car as he sped out of the garage towards downtown LA.

The evening started with an early dinner at a new Italian restaurant before Tony took her to the theatre to watch the Sound of Music, which Pepper loved and Tony slept through, luckily they were in a private booth and nobody noticed. He took her for a walk on the Santa Monica Pier, playing arcade games and riding the Ferris wheel. However as fun as date night was SHIELD could always be counted on to ruin the evening.

"You've got to go." Pepper said sadly after he hung up his phone.

"Yeah, they've traced members of the ten rings and they've got SI tech."

"It's fine Tony go do the whole superhero thing." They drove home and she kissed him goodbye as he put on his helmet one and blasted out of his workshop.

"Jarvis?" Pepper summoned the AI

"Yes Mrs Stark?" Jarvis asked

"Can you tell me where Tony is?"

"He's currently en-route to Afghanistan according to my GPS."

"Keep me informed of his progress." Pepper asked the AI, who assured her he would and she then settled on Tony's couch to watch a movie.

"Mrs Stark?" Jarvis woke Pepper up; it was 4:30am

"Yes Jarvis?"

"Not to worry you, but it would appear that Mr Stark has gone offline."

"What do you mean gone offline?" Pepper's voice went up about 4 octaves.

"I don't know ma'am, he appeared to be struggling with something emotionally and removed his helmet, so effectively the suit is offline."

Pepper tried to go to work, but once she was there she was irritable, snappy and signed off as working from home indefinitely. She was aware that her mood wouldn't improve until she'd heard from Tony.

It had been days, and Pepper wasn't the only worried one it appeared SHIELD had lost contact with him as well, so when Nick Fury called her to ask if she'd heard from him the conversation was brief.

"You're his handlers you find him!" She shouted before she slammed the phone down.

It was a week since he'd gone off the grid when Jarvis woke Pepper to tell her that Tony had put the helmet back on and was due home in 10 hours.

Pepper was waiting when he touched down and the robots began pulling the suit off him. He looked bad and as angry as she was at him, she was more concerned at this point.

"Tony I've been…"

"Save it Pepper." He snapped

"…worried." She finished quietly

"I'm fine just back off." The harshness of his voice made her step back.

"I just want to help."

"Yeah well it's not about what you want is it? What I want is for you to get the hell out and leave me alone." He shouted, regretting in soon as he saw the tears in her eyes. She ran from the workshop, Tony knew he should've gone after her but he was still angry, he wanted a bit of space didn't she get that?

Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes was not expecting a frantic knock on the door at 11:30pm, but the one that came just past 2am he was expecting, the person on the receiving end of his fist, however was not.

"What the hell Rhodes?" Tony asked clutching his face.

"What the hell did you do?" He grabbed Tony and pulled him inside. Tony looked around and saw the couch was made up with a blanket and all the pillows piled at one end.

"Something wrong with your bed?" Tony asked

"Yeah man your wife is asleep in it." Rhodey said not trying to hide his anger.

"Pepper's here. Good. I was worried." Tony moved to go towards the bedroom.

"Tony man leave her alone, she's not been asleep that long. Crying for the last 2 hours."

"I messed up…."

"No shit Sherlock."

"…I followed the weapons to a cave and I was blowing stuff up, and I realised I've been here before. The next thing I know I'm ripping the helmet off and just counting the steps from the cave they kept me to the outside world. All I could think was how much I wanted to escape to come home and see Pepper. I saw the helmet lying on the floor and realised I could go home." Rhodey was surprised at his friend's admission that he'd suffered some kind of breakdown.

"What happened with Pepper?" Tony pleaded with his friend.

"She knocked on my door, she was a mess man, so I let her in and she just cried in my arms and all I could do was put her to bed. I could only pick out words like 'why would he say that? He's all I have and I love so much, why does do he hate me?'" listening to his friends words broke his heart.

Tony stood and moved towards the bedroom, this time Rhodey didn't try and stop him. He climbed in to bed with her, wrapping his arms around her waist he whispered "Pepper I'll always need you."

The next morning he awoke to find his arms empty, but what he could hear was vomiting in Rhodey's bathroom. "Pepper sweetheart open the door." Tony asked, he heard the lock click, he went in and held her hair back.

Once she finished dry heaving she looked at her Tony. "Tony I'm pregnant." Tony's face lit up

"Pepper that's…"

Pepper cut him off "I can't deal with you right now. I need space, I'm so mad at you."

"Pepper…"

"No Tony, you broke every promise you made me in this last week. I need some time to process."

Tony reached out for her and she pulled away, he recoiled like he'd been burnt. He stood nodded and then looked at Pepper. "Ok space, I can do space." He walked out of the room.

Rhodey found Pepper crying on his bathroom floor. "Tony left." He stated softly

"I know I told him to go."

"Pepper, I'm on your side. What he did…Pep you need to talk to him" He went in to his room grabbed a pair of sweats and an old air force t-shirt. "Jump in the shower Mrs Stark, I'll drive you home." He said as he pulled her up and handed her the clothes.

Rhodey pulled up to the front door of the Malibu mansion and he led Pepper inside. She went to the kitchen and Rhodey went downstairs.

Rhodey entered the lab, where he found Tony smashing his broken Cobra with a metal pole.

"Smashing your ride isn't going to help." Rhodey called as he switched off his music. "Perhaps you should talk to Pepper."

He looked over when he heard his wife's name.

"She doesn't want to talk to me." He took another swing at the car.

"Really because she's upstairs waiting for you." Tony moved towards the stairs but was once again blocked by Rhodey.

"I'm getting really sick of you standing in between me and my wife." Tony tried to push past him.

"You smell like a brewery Tony, have a shower before you try and fix this."

Tony nodded and moved towards the elevator instead. "Hey Stark!" Rhodey called, Tony looked back at Rhodey. "Hurt her again and I will hurt you." The look he gave Tony said he was serious.

**TBC…**

**Angsty, I know thought I'd draw you in to a false sense of security with fluff and then bam! Slap you with some real misery. Tony and what happened in Afghanistan is going to be a recurring theme ** **and things will get happier. I promise. **


	10. Healing

Hey guys, sorry this took a while to update it's just I had an exam to study for, then the exam then drinking because that's the end of my final exams for the year, then the hangover, then my birthday party and my birthday and the associated hangovers (Tony Stark would be proud, my liver and mother are not =p)

**Healing**

Rhodey walked back up the stairs and saw Pepper sitting on the couch, he looked at her and she wasn't the normal Pepper Potts (Stark) she was broken and she looked tired, almost like she'd aged five years. Tony was going to have to do a lot of grovelling before things could even start to look up.

"He's jumped in the shower Pep; he'll be along as soon as he's done." Pepper nodded at Rhodey's statement and the air force colonel let himself out.

Pepper was in her own world looking at a photo of them on vacation that was up on the wall.

"Hey." Tony said as he gently laid his hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged it off and he was hurt, so he sat in the chair opposite her. "Did I ever actually tell you what happened in Afghanistan?" he asked, he knew the answer already.

"No, but what does it have to do with yesterday?" The pain in her voice broke his heart.

"Everything." He stood and moved over to her taking her hand, this time she didn't let go.

"I was in a Humvee, uh…the funvee I called it, Rhodey was banished to the hum-drum-vee, we were driving along and I was joking about with the soldiers…soldiers one of them was just a kid…when the vehicle in front of us exploded." He took a break before continuing.

"This kid who wanted a picture from my 30 seconds earlier was having his insides ripped apart by the bullets and then I'm on the floor outside, I needed to get out of the car. That's when it landed next to me, a Stark Industries missile. I was so shocked I needed to get away that's when the thing exploded and all I remember after that is the blood…

…after this it's just bits and pieces for a while, flashes of Yinsen and surgery, waking up to find a car battery attached to my chest. Then I remember some guys ripping a bag off my head and talking in Arabic at a camera. Them asking me to build a Jericho and the water torture till I agreed. When they figured out I was working on something other than the Jericho they tried to kill Yinsen. Then when the suit was finished he ran outside to give it time to boot up so they shot him, I remember walking in this suit and finding him laying there all shot up, he was dying. He told me not to waste my second chance, he'd told me about his family but it turns out they were already dead, and then I remember flying off and crashing. I walked for days to find someone, when Rhodey shows up and I come home and all I can think about is you…

…this is where yesterday and the last few days come in. They found some of the original members of ten rings and they still had my weapons and I followed them, and the deeper I went in to the cave the more familiar it became. I spent days just retracing the steps from the cave to the entrance. Then I came home, when I realised I could and I needed to. You were there waiting and all I could think about was how ridiculous it was to let it get to me that much it was five years ago and I was mad and I projected that at you. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry Pepper, hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do. What I wanted to do is come home, have you wrapped up in my arms telling me it's all going to be ok." He looked at her, she was crying, hell he was pretty sure he was too.

"It's all going to be ok Tony." She looked at him "Not right away but it is. It has to be, it's not just us anymore." She put his hand on her stomach, there wasn't a change yet but they both knew that's where their baby was. Tony knew then, that whilst Pepper was still mad and they weren't fixed yet, they would be.

"Excuse me sir, I know you asked for no interruptions but I believe this is important. I have a call from Mrs Stark's mother in Ohio." Jarvis broke up the moment.

"Connect the call Jarvis." Pepper said before Tony could hang up on his mother in law.

"Virginia is that you?" Pepper's mom called down the phone.

"Hey Mom, what's up?" Pepper was worried, her mother sounded panicked.

"There was an accident at work, Joey something happened; I don't know what he's in the hospital…" Tony was on his feet; he called his pilot and told them to have the plane ready ASAP. He pulled Pepper off the sofa and upstairs they needed to pack.

It was 5 hours later when they touched down in Ohio, a car was waiting, Pepper had organised it from the plane. They drove to the hospital where after they were directed to the waiting room they found Pepper's family sitting waiting for news. Tony watched as Pepper was hugged by her mother and sister in law, her two nephews playing quietly on the floor. The small area was also slowly being filled by state troopers.

"What happened?" Pepper asked, she still didn't know why they were here.

"It was a routine traffic stop, the guy he pulled over had a gun, and he shot him." Pepper's mother was whispering so the two boys didn't hear. "It missed his vest and hit him in the throat, he's in surgery now." Tony reached out and grabbed Pepper's hand, whilst she processed the news her brother had been shot.

"Uncle Tony?" A small voice called up, it was one of Pepper's nephews, they were twin boys aged 8 years old.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking at the little boy.

"Will you play cars with us?" he asked, looking from Tony to the small pile of toy cars they'd found in the waiting room.

Tony sat on the floor with the boys and quietly played. Pepper looked at him as he did, not quite believing how much he'd changed. She watched them play for hours, the two boys eventually curling up on hard plastic seats sleeping.

"You should rest too Pepper." Tony said, looking at her, not wanting to bring up the baby, it wasn't the right time. "You've not touched that coffee, it must be cold by now." One of the troopers had brought them all coffee earlier. "I'll take you and the boy's home." He offered.

Pepper nodded and stood up, a nearby trooper came over and picked up one of the boys and followed Tony who'd picked up the other out to the car. "Call if anything changes ok? We'll be back in the morning. I'll make sure the twins get to school ok." Pepper said goodbye to her family and went out to the car.

The next day after dropping both boys at school Tony and Pepper went to the hospital, when they arrived there was a doctor telling them that Pepper's brother was out of surgery and that it was looking good, he should be awake in a few hours.

Pepper was sat next to her mother when she just blurted out "I'm pregnant."

Tony was shocked, Pepper's sister in law was shocked, and Pepper's mother shot the man who impregnated her daughter filthy looks. "That is to say, that we're having a baby." She tried again.

This time Pepper's sister recovered first and hugged her "I'm so happy Ginny." A sentiment that was also echoed by her mother (Surprisingly). They talked for hours about the baby, stuff for the baby, had she thought of any names or if she was hoping for a boy or girl (healthy was her answer), Tony left to escape the baby talk and to pick up the twins from school. He chuckled, whoever would've thought that you'd find Tony Stark on the school run?

By the time he got back, he was happy to find Pepper's brother was awake. The twins mother explained as gently as she could what happened to their father, who was currently giving Tony a death glare for touching his sister, although he could tell, Joe Potts was happy his little sister was going to become a mother.

Tony and Pepper stayed in Ohio for a while looking after Pepper's nephews, who Tony had finally learnt were called Ben and Scott although he still couldn't tell them apart. They took them to the zoo and the park and for the cheeky happy meal. The relationship between the married couple was also starting to improve. Tony had told Fury where he could stick it, he was where he needed to be right now, as the man had pointed out, Tony Stark was not the only superhero in the world. They went back to California strong, not as strong as they were before the fight but they were getting there.

**TBC…**

**A little drama, but unlike the last chapter a happy ending. I already have all the kids sorted as well as the order, and because it's my birthday and I'm feeling nice, I'll post another chapter pretty soonish. **


	11. First Born

**So I'm going to blast through like a whole pregnancy in this chapter, there's more kids and stuff to come and I don't want this story to take forever, there's more kids to go through and I had so many ideas but was struggling to work them in, so it's like a collection of pregnancy drabbles.**

**First Born**

**First Trimester & Telling Rhodey**

The first few months of Pepper's pregnancy were hard. There were tantrums and crying and vomiting, and that was just from Tony. Pepper suffered her morning sickness with all the poise and decorum that people had come to expect from her, she would work through the day and shout at her husband who had gone back to his pre-wedding self of being largely unorganised, despising meetings and not wishing to do anything that would ease Pepper's professional life.

"Tony we've got a doctor's appointment." Pepper said from the door of Tony's workshop.

"A real appointment or the kind where you trick me in to a board meeting?" Tony asked not looking up from whatever it is that we tinkering with.

"We did have a doctor's appointment that time. There was just a board meeting after…" Pepper argued

"Is there a board meeting?"

"No Tony not today." Pepper was exasperated and Tony figured that right now it would be best if he did as he was told and put on a clean shirt and pants.

They were leaving the doctor's office, being assured that everything was progressing nicely for the first trimester. "We can tell Rhodey now right?" Tony asked, Pepper had forbade him telling anybody about the baby until after the first trimester, he had argued that she told her family, but apparently it was different.

James Rhodes was invited to the Stark Mansion, for the coolest thing ever according to Tony. The man built Iron Man, it was probably pretty cool. So he parked up by the door and when he got inside Pepper informed him that he was in the man cave working on his latest project. Rhodey descended the stairs to Tony's workshop and found the billionaire talking to his robots and when he moved closer he was surprised to see what Tony was building.

"Tony is that a..." He started.

"Crib? Yeah it is." Tony smiled.

"You're building a crib?" Rhodey's mind was beginning to connect the dots in his mind and his look was going from confused to happy.

Tony on the other hand, had the biggest shit eating grin ever. "Well of course I'm building a crib. Pepper wouldn't let the baby sleep in a draw in our room."

"Pepper's pregnant." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Yep." Tony was smiling bigger, if that was at all possible.

"You're having a baby? You and Pepper?" Rhodey asked Tony nodded.

Rhodey's face broke out in a huge grin and he hugged Tony. "Congratulations man." The two went upstairs and Rhodey hugged Pepper.

"A baby, I just can't imagine it." Rhodey said.

"Really, because I've been feeding, clothing and bathing him for the better part of 10 years." Pepper laughed, then Rhodey laughed and Tony despite being vaguely offended also laughed.

**Cravings **

"Tony." Pepper poked her husband in the shoulder. He mumbled something incoherent and brushed her hand away.

"Tony." She tried again, only to be met with a similar response.

"Tooooonyyyyyyy" She whined

"What?" He finally asked looking at a clock it was 3:30am.

"I'm hungry." She said, sitting up and switching on the light.

"So go and get some food." Tony said, reaching for the light.

"I can't we don't have it."

"Don't have what?" Tony asked

"McDonalds Chicken Nuggets, some chilli cheese fries and a double double from in-n-out and a strawberry milkshake." She finished the list.

"What do you want me to do about it?" He asked

Pepper looked pointedly at the door. Tony sighed; this was not something he was looking forward to about Pepper's pregnancy.

Clearly he was taking too long to process the idea of leaving his bed in the middle of the night for food.

"Tony. Baby. Food. Hurry." So he got up and left, travelled all the way to Santa Monica for her burger. When he returned she was waiting for him in the lounge and as much as Tony Stark loved his wife watching her shovel burger and milkshake down her throat at the same time, was slowly killing his love for the American cheeseburger.

"Hey Tony?" Pepper asked as she took a break from eating in order to breathe.

"Yeah Pepper." He replied

"I love you." She said and then returned to demolishing her night time snack.

"I love you too." He smiled and went back to bed.

**Boy or Girl? And Names**

"Hello Mr and Mrs Stark." The doctor greeted as she walked in to the office.

"Do you think we'll have any luck today?" Tony asked, Pepper was now 25 weeks pregnant and the baby it appeared had inherited its parent's stubbornness. Whilst Tony quite liked the idea of it being a total surprise (not that he would mind knowing what he was having), Pepper on the other hand refused to allow her child to spend the first few weeks of its life dressed like a gender confused chicken (surprisingly her words, not Tony's).

The doctor chuckled "We'll see, this baby doesn't seem to want to cooperate."

"I wonder who the baby inherited that from?" Pepper said sarcastically "Why would a Stark try and make my life easier?"

At this point Tony wanted to point out, that at 4am he drove all the way to Hollywood Boulevard because the taco stand there was the best 24 hour taco place in the city or that he'd woken the manager of Pepper's favourite pastry shop because of cravings, but wisely, he decided against it.

She shivered as the gel was placed on her stomach, the room was filled with the familiar whooshing noise of the baby's heartbeat. "Ok…" The OB said "Everything appears to look great, developing nicely and an excellent heartbeat." Tony and Pepper let out a collective sigh of relief. "Are we sure we want to know what we're having?"

"Yes." They said together, before grinning like they always did when something like this happened.

"Congratulations." The doctor said turning the monitor to Tony and Pepper "You're having a little girl."

Tony Stark looked at the monitor and cried. It wasn't manly and it wasn't becoming of Iron Man, but he didn't care. He was having a daughter.

They were sat on the sofa later that evening, Tony talking to Pepper's belly about how he was going to spoil her, and that she was destined to be a daddy's girl.

"We should think of names." Pepper told him softly, not wanting to interrupt this incredibly sweet moment.

"Virginia." Tony said before resuming his quiet conversation with Pepper's bump.

"No, I'm not too fond of that name. Kids are cruel, with a name like Virginia, you're asking for bullying." Pepper argued, she wasn't ashamed of her name it was just a little too easy to use against her.

"I was thinking of having it as a middle name." Tony pointed out, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ok, Iron Man…" he liked it when she called him Iron Man. "What were you thinking of as a first name?"

"West." He said seriously. "Honestly Pep, do I have to do all the work?"

"West? What kind of name is West? West Virginia St…" She slapped his shoulder, whilst he howled with laughter as she realised what he'd suggested. Pepper couldn't help herself she had to join in too.

**Engineers vs. Crib**

Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes was a smart man, he had an engineering degree from the Air Force Academy and his best friend was the foremost engineer on the planet. Tony Stark graduated MIT at 17, he was a genius he miniaturized impossible technology to keep himself alive, built the Iron Man suit in a cave after being tortured. Yet here were two very intelligent men staring at the pile of wood like it might bite them, they'd spent 3 hours looking at the pile of wood and trying to create the very nice crib that Pepper had bought.

"Jarvis, scan and show me a 3D rendering of how this should look." Tony asked his AI, who complied with his orders immediately.

"I don't get how that's meant to go." Rhodey looked at the pieces and the images.

"Have you considered reading the instructions?" Pepper who'd been hovering unnoticed (impressive for someone with a baby bump like hers) at the door suggested. They looked at her like she'd grown an extra head, she placed the two coffee mugs down next to them and shook her head as she left.

"We could try the instructions." Rhodey said.

"Yeah? I won't tell if you don't." Tony agreed. The crib was complete 45 minutes later.

**Clothing**

"Give me your credit card." Pepper stood with her hand out expectantly in the workshop

"What happened to not wanting to spend all my money? Using your own, being all independent?" Tony responded, he was of course going to hand over the plastic, he loved to spoil his wife.

"My clothes don't fit and it's your fault. I can't wear the shoes I like and it's your fault and I really really really want a taco from the food truck." Pepper sulked and Tony took in what she was wearing; his oversized sweatshirt and his sweat pants. He thought she was beautiful and was quite happy for her to continue to wear his clothing, although if Pepper wanted maternity clothes that looked good then that was what Pepper was going to get. So he handed over the card as well as ten dollars to cover the food.

"Put pants on." She demanded.

"Why?" He asked, there was no need, he was in his workshop and had the day off work and since Pepper was nearing the end of her pregnancy Fury stopped giving him missions so that he wouldn't miss his child's birth.

"You gave Happy the day off and my big fat pregnant belly won't fit behind the wheel of my car."

"Your pregnant belly is beautiful." He said as he pulled on a pair of previously discarded pants.

Two (stressful) hours later Tony carried in Pepper's purchases with the help of Dummy and Butterfingers. Women are meant to be tired in pregnancy but it appears to have had no effect on her shopping stamina.

**Labour**

"Who ever thought squeezing a person out from down there was a good idea is destined for a painful death!" Pepper seethed as she pushed through another contraction. Tony was convinced his hand was broken as she squeezed his finger.

"I want the DRUGS!" Pepper shouted again, although she knew it was no use, between feeling her first contraction and getting to the hospital her pregnancy progressed too quickly for an epidural. "Why is it that most women's first baby take forever and mine seems so eager to be in the world."

"When we Stark's decide to do something, we decide to do something, we don't beat around the bush." He thought he was being helpful but the look the nurse and his wife gave him told Tony Stark that this was not the case. So he went with what he thought was best, slowly stroking her hair and holding her hand.

"No! You don't get to touch me anymore!" Pepper hissed. The doctor gave him an apathetic look, even the strongest of women cave in to the pressure during labour.

"Ok Pepper it looks like we're ready to push." The doctor said and Pepper got a steely determined look in her eyes.

5 minutes later there was a baby in Tony Stark's arms, not a sight anybody ever thought they'd see and to top it all off, Iron Man was crying.

"She's so perfect, looks just like her mommy." He said as he handed the baby off to Pepper, who was also crying. They had a baby and she was perfect.

Rhodey and Happy were the first visitors to the room. "What's her name boss?" Happy asked staring at the wriggling bundle in his bosses arms.

"Elizabeth Maria Stark." He said quietly. "After her grandmother and Pepper's."

"She is going to be heartbreaker." Rhodey added as Tony handed the baby to Happy.

"No she's not. No boys ever." Tony said determinedly, causing Pepper, who nobody had realised was awake to giggle.

"There will be boys Tony." She told him

"Not if I can help it. I have a hulk…" he would've continued ranting but a small noise from the bundle, now in Rhodey's arm drew him immediately to the baby.

"Got you wrapped around her little finger already huh?" Rhodey asked.

"Yeah, they do." He said, meaning Pepper as well.

Life was perfect right now, he had his friends, his wife and his baby. All was finally well for Tony Stark.

"I'm not going to waste it." He said rocking the baby back to sleep.

**TBC…**

**Yeah not sure how this has actually worked out =/ but I've got loads to get through, but it's not like I'm trying to rush the story I was just struggling to write a whole chapter about each of the ideas I had for Pepper's pregnancy. **


	12. First Birthday

**Sorry I've been MIA, I was just sorting out the next few chapters and how this story is going to go as well as working on a few others. Just because there's a lot to get through I'm trying something new with this chapter again hope you don't mind.**

**First Birthday**

It had been exactly one year since his daughter was born, and he was looking at his perfect little princess now, viciously smashing her tiny hands in to the mess that was once a very nice birthday cake.

"Beth sweetie, you're meant to eat it." He tried picking up some of the goop that was once cake and put some in his mouth to show her, causing Pepper to chuckle behind him.

"It's just watching you trying to get her to eat, it's so funny."

_**Flashback**_

"_Open wide for Mommy." Pepper said as she put the spoon full of baby food in front of her daughter's mouth. Elizabeth promptly refused and just sat staring at her daddy._

"_Can I try Pepper?" Tony asked, noticing how his daughter was staring at him._

"_As long as it doesn't end up like the last time." Pepper said, remembering how the last time Tony fed her, more ended up on her than in her._

"_I'm sure I can manage, besides she's older now." Tony pointed out looking at his six month old daughter. "Go on princess, here comes Iron Man!" He carried the spoon towards her mouth and again she refused to eat._

"_Iron Man? Seriously Tony?" Pepper clucked._

_He just grinned. "It's so yummy though." He put a little of the food on the end of the spoon and tried some himself. "Really yummy." He helped himself to another spoon full and again, and again until the jar was empty. _

"_Well done Anthony. What do you suppose she eats now that you've eaten that?" Tony looked from Pepper to the empty jar of baby food in his hand._

_She shook her head and pulled out another jar. "What does that one taste like?" He asked._

"_You'll have to ask Beth when she's done." _

_**End Flashback.**_

Elizabeth Maria "Beth" Stark continued to mash the food in front of her. "She's so obstinate." Tony says, giving up hope on the birthday cake.

"I wonder who she picked that one up off." Pepper replied. "I imagine it's the same person she got her insomnia from."

_**Flashback.**_

_The wail came through the baby monitor at exactly 2:02am. Pepper groaned as she woke up rolling over to look at her husband, who was still asleep. How he was still sleeping Pepper would never know. Ever since they brought the child home 2 weeks ago she'd not managed more than a few hours' sleep at any one time._

"_Tony." She kicked him._

_He grunted and rolled away from her._

"_Anthony Stark." She tried, louder and kicking him harder._

"_The baby is crying." _

"_I can hear that." He mumbled in to his pillow._

"_Don't you remember what you told me when I was in labour?" _

"_No." He was trying to sleep; he was a very busy man._

"_You said if she wakes up after 2am then she becomes your problem, so the one who did ALL of the work can have her rest."_

"_I don't think you did all of the work Pepper. I was definitely involved." _

"_Fine take 12% of the credit. Besides I remember you saying that if she woke up after 2am you would handle it."_

"_Did I?"_

"_Yes Tony, you promised me whilst I was squeezing out your child, that you would handle anything after 2am."_

"_Fine." He huffed as he rolled out of bed only to return a few minutes later handing her the baby. "I think this is a problem only Mommy can handle." He was asleep before she realised what was going on._

_**End Flashback.**_

"Trust you to remember a promise I made whilst you were in labour." He huffed, Pepper smiled although this turned in to full blown laughter when some of the cake in front of the child found its way to the side of Tony's head.

"Is this where the parties at?" Rhodey's voice called out.

"Sup Platypus?" Tony said as he again tried to shovel cake in to his daughter's mouth.

"Hey guys," Rhodey entered the kitchen "this is Joanne." He introduced the woman who followed him in.

"Nice to meet you." Pepper extended a hand to shake the newcomers

"Didn't know you were bringing a date Rhodes." Tony also shook the woman's hand.

"I didn't want her to meet a dirty reprobate like you. I'm here to introduce her to Pepper and my god daughter." He joked

"Your god daughter would like a hug from Uncle Jimmy." Tony said pulling her out of the chair and handing her to Rhodey.

"How much of that cake has she eaten? I remember the last time she ate some junk food…"He said nervously and rightly so.

_**Flash Back**_

"_Hey Platypus hold the baby." Tony handed Rhodey the small child as he answered the ringing cell phone _

"_Look at you you're getting big." He cooed to the child, he lay on the floor and held the baby above his head, bouncing her gently._

"_My child is not a workout machine Rhodes." Tony had finished his phone call_

"_Sure she is." He began pushing Elizabeth in the air like a dumbbell making her giggle._

_Rhodey counted each rep until he reached 7 when Tony got involved. "7, 7, 7, 7…" He kept calling keeping Rhodey on the same number until he stopped when little baby Elizabeth proceeded to lose her lunch all over Rhodey's face._

_Tony howled with laughter as Rhodey sat up, baby vomit dripping off his nose. "This is disgusting." He looked at the bits which had ended up on his shirt. "Why the hell is it purple? What did you feed her?"_

"_Some baby juice that Pepper left out for her." The woman in question had just walked in, took in her husband who had the biggest shit eating grin on his face and Rhodey who was covered in purple puke and holding her baby._

"_I don't want to know." Pepper said as she took the child to clean her up and left Tony and Rhodey to whatever it was they were doing. _

_**End Flashback**_

"Don't worry Rhodes, no purple puke today." Tony said, thinking of that afternoon and the video he'd pulled from the camera and saved on his computer.

The whole party was a rather quiet affair just the Stark's, Rhodey and his girlfriend. Tony had wanted to throw a massive party but Pepper pointed out that the small child didn't know anybody and that the party was unnecessary because all that was needed was her family. She'd have the big parties when she was more grown up.

Tony and Pepper bid goodbye to Rhodey and Joanne and put Elizabeth too bed. "I can't believe she's one already." Pepper said tucking a small teddy up to the sleeping child.

"Do you remember her first night here?" Tony asked.

"You mean that night you brought us home, put her in the crib, took me to bed and left me there?" Pepper asked.

"Uhh… yeah."

_**Flashback **_

_Tony used his shamefully good skill of climbing out of bed without the woman in it noticing to creep across the hallway to stare at the small being lying in her crib. He wasn't sure how long he stared but soon sensed a presence behind him._

"_You've been here for 2 hours Tony." Pepper said sleepily, Tony would've responded but a small cry distracted him. He leaned down and pulled his daughter from her crib and cradled her against him. She started to gum at his cheek "I think she's hungry, hand her here." Pepper took the baby off him and sat in the rocking chair and fed the baby. _

_Elizabeth grabbed Peppers hair and held on tight. "Ouch, sweetie. Let go, Mommy needs that." She tried to pluck the hair from the babies grasp. Tony came to her rescue and stroked the back of Elizabeth's hand._

"_Now, now Beth that's Mommy's hair and you shouldn't pull it." He looked at Pepper's confused stare. "I read it in one of your baby books." He shrugged._

"_Beth?" _

"_Every girl needs a special nickname from her daddy." He told her. Together they put Beth back in to bed and Pepper led him from the child's room._

"_Want to give her a brother or sister?" _

"_Let's see how this one turns out first."_

"_Practice?" He tried_

"_Not for at least six weeks." Pepper said, and Tony groaned. _

_**End Flashback**_

"I think this one turned out ok." Tony whispered in her ear as the baby slept.

"Yeah, but I'm not ready for another one. Maybe some practice though?" Pepper said and he grinned pulling her from the child's room stopping to switch off the light.

"Good night Beth. Daddy loves you."

**TBC…**

**Shorter than I originally planned. The baby food thing? True story, chocolate and banana and bolognaise sauce are the best (however my best friend not so impressed I ate it all, apparently I'm a crappy godmother). The purple puke is also a true story, it's a purple baby juice tastes pretty bland but the puke is a funny colour especially when it's on one of my former teachers white shirt and he has to spend the whole day teaching in it (proud god mummy moment on a visit to my old school) although not so funny when on my face. Push ups…hilarious! We do it to our freshmen lacrosse players tell them to do 10 and keep calling 7, TOO much fun.**

**Will try and get another chapter up soon. Feedback always appreciated =)**


	13. Charitable Vacation

**So again Tony is about to make a celebrity sports appearance, I feeling the charitable stuff at the moment. Soccer Aid is a British Charity in aid of UNICEF, it's great fun to watch Will Ferrell charge down a professional footballer. Robbie Williams is one of the key organisers, so here we go, shameless plugging of one of my favourite bands (Take That of which Robbie Williams is a member) and really good cause. **

**Charitable Vacation**

"You've had some more appearance requests." Pepper said as she walked in to Tony's workshop balancing Beth on her hip.

"Anything worth my time?" He asked scooping his daughter out of Pepper's arms when she reached for him.

"One very sweet hand written letter to appear at Michael Smith's tenth birthday" Pepper smiled at him "and I received a phone call from Anthony Lake…"

"The head of UNICEF?" Tony asked

"The very same. He wants to know if you'd be interested in appearing in an event with UNICEF UK." Pepper popped up Beth's play pen.

"I like UNICEF." Tony said smiling as his daughter blew bubbles in his face.

"I would hope so, they made you an ambassador after your work with _prosthetic_'s for kids who've been hurt by mines." She was proud of her man and his charitable work, a lot of which came out of his own pocket. "Anyway this event is called Soccer Aid, it's a soccer match organised by some British pop star, they have England versus the Rest of the World it includes celebrities and 'legends'…"

"I'd be a legend." Tony interrupted

"No, the legends are ex-professionals."

"What do you think princess?" He asked his daughter who smiled when she realised she was the centre of daddy's attention. "A vacation to England?" She just giggled in response, running her hand along her father's goatee. "Call UNICEF and tell them I'm in."

It was a few days before Tony was scheduled to play in the Soccer Aid match when the Stark Industries plane touched down in London. There was a car and Happy who'd flown out the day before waiting and the family went to immediately went to Coleridge's hotel, the world famous hotel in Mayfair. Later that evening with Happy watching the little Stark, Pepper and Tony left to meet the rest of the Soccer Aid team for a dinner it would be the first time the teams were together.

Tony and Pepper walked in to the ball room where the event was taking place, it was a quiet event, no press thankfully. They were greeted by an enthusiastic man covered in tattoos who introduced himself as Robbie Williams, captain of the England team and organiser, the rest of the evening progressed nicely, Tony chatted with a number of celebrities including Gary Barlow, who he'd never heard of but was in the same band as Robbie, chef Gordon Ramsey, Woody Harrelson and Will Ferrell whereas Pepper found herself dancing with David Beckham and Prince William, which made Tony slightly jealous.

When they returned to their hotel they found Happy asleep on the couch balancing Beth on his chest, surrounded by toys and both fast asleep, until the closing of the door made Happy snap awake and tighten his grip around the sleeping toddler. "Oh hey boss." Happy greeted the couple.

"She wasn't a problem was she?" Pepper asked as Tony took his daughter from his bodyguard.

"Nah, just a little hyperactive." Happy stretched and bid Tony and Pepper goodnight.

"Hyperactive huh? I wonder who she gets that from." Pepper knowingly shouted after her husband who'd gone to put the still sleeping toddler

"Sorry Mrs Stark, I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that one." Tony appeared back in the room of the hotel suite; he grabbed her hand and pulled her in to their room, to show just how hyperactive he could be.

The next day Tony shuffled out of the bedroom smiling as he saw Pepper trying to feed Beth who, apparently did not want to eat her breakfast. "Good morning."

"You need to be ready in 15 minutes you have training." Pepper told him, she had resorted to PA mode to deal with a reluctant baby and a husband who would probably not want to go training.

"Training?"

"Yes Tony training. You need to practice with your team."

"Do I have to go?"

"Yes." She sighed "Elizabeth take a bite for mommy."

"I don't want to."

"Well you need to. It's not optional."

Tony huffed "What are you doing all day then whilst I'm at practice?"

"Me and your daughter are going shopping."

"My daughter? She's your baby too Pepper."

"Only 12 per cent." She smiled; the 12% thing had been a running joke between the two ever since he'd said it the night Stark Tower in New York became self-sufficient.

"Nah, you did all the heavy lifting an argument could be made for 15."

Pepper laughed and pointed towards the bedroom, indicating to Tony that he should be getting dressed at this point.

Pepper returned to hotel suite after a tiring day, accompanied by an equally tired Happy Hogan who was carrying the (many) bags of shopping whilst Pepper carried her daughter in a harness on her chest.

"You really know how to shop Pep." Happy said depositing the bags by the couch. Even though Pepper was now his boss, the informality of their relationship from when they both worked for Tony continued. Pepper just chuckled in response, she'd splurged a little. When Tony left that morning he'd placed his credit card in Peppers hand as he kissed her goodbye, she was tempted to point out that their personal accounts were joint, but it was the symbolism of him handing over his card to his woman that she knew he loved.

"That she does Happy." Pepper and Happy both jumped at the sound of Tony's voice. He walked over and stroked a finger along his daughter's cheek "What did you do to her Pepper?"

The little Stark was flat out. "She hasn't quite developed shopping stamina yet." He chuckled and turned around to thank Happy for looking after his girls for the day.

"It's no problem sir, I'll be seeing you guys tomorrow to drive you over to the game."

"I can't believe I agreed to play soccer."

"Have you even played before?"

"Nope, but I saw it on the TV it can't be too difficult."

Pepper shook her head and started putting the baby to bed, Tony just hovered in the door.

"I never thought you'd be all domesticated like this."

"I've been cleaning up after you for years." She said as she walked past him.

"That's not true!" He protested.

"If you say Mr Stark."

"Mr Stark? Really Mrs Stark?" He raised an eyebrow in challenge to her.

"Goodnight Tony." She said as she went in to the bedroom.

The next day they had a quiet breakfast and spent the day watching bad television before Happy picked them up in the afternoon, to go over to Wembley Stadium. Pepper found herself sitting in the VIP box with the other families, Beth asleep in a carrier at her feet, her blackberry rang.

"Hello?"

"_Hey Pepper."_

"Jim!"

"_Am I really up at 8am on my only day off to watch Tony play soccer?"_

"You're watching?"

"_Yeah, Joanne works in the regional office for UNICEF in LA." _Pepper chuckled at Rhodey. "_He hates soccer you know!"_

"I had a feeling, but he likes kids and charity and being the centre of attention."

"_Well that's true, hey it looks like it's going to kick off, and I'll let you watch your man embarrass himself."_

"Good-bye Jim."

"_See ya Pepper!"_

Happy put himself in a seat next to Pepper, red and gold suitcase attached to his wrist.

"Hey Hap."

"Hey, he on?"

"Not yet, he's sat on the bench." Pepper pointed down to the pitch, where Tony was obviously restless as he sat on the bench.

He eventually got to play, he ran up and down and was taken down by a very large player, Happy tried to supress a chortle as the boss tried to shake off the tackle, Pepper looked sufficiently worried. England ended up being declared the winner.

"So that was fun." Tony said as he slid in to the car next to Pepper and his child.

"You helped raise a lot of money tonight."

"I might of helped raise the money but I hear Mrs Virginia Stark handed over a very large check."

"Cite your sources Stark."

"The UNICEF guy."

"I'm sure he has a name."

"Not important." He went to press a kiss on her lips but a small noise from the car seat drew their attention. "Hey Beth, you want a hug from daddy?" He moved to undo the car seat.

"We're still moving Tony." She said and Tony stopped unbuckling the baby.

"Sorry princess, looks like you'll have to wait."

The next morning, Pepper gave Happy the day off to explore the city via text and made herself a coffee in the kitchenette

"What's the plan boss lady?" Tony asked from the couch where he was sat with his boxers and T-shirt on with Beth snuggled in to his chest watching cartoons.

"Hamley's"

"Sounds like a shop."

"It's a toy shop."

"I could live with that." He made no move to go and get dressed.

"You need to get dressed"

"It's Saturday morning, me and my daughter are bonding over cartoons."

"There's drool on your shirt Tony."

"Peeeeepppppppppper" He whined "Come on watch cartoons with us." He pleaded, Pepper just smiled took the baby out of her arms, he went to protest but she settled herself on the couch snuggled up to Tony with Beth in between them.

They emerged in the afternoon and went to the toy shop, Tony spent an hour playing with the Lego and the science toys whilst Beth was happy with her Hamley's teddy bear. They left for a ride on the London Eye and bought a copy of the photo with the Houses of Parliament in the background. They boarded the plane for the flight back to California.

"So not bad for the first Stark family vacation?" Tony said as they flew across the Atlantic he cradled his sleeping daughter in his arms.

"Shame she won't remember it." Pepper stroked Beth's hair.

"We'll go when she's old enough to remember." He suggested.

"You mean when they're both old enough to remember?" Pepper said quietly.

"Pep?"

"I took the test a little while ago, for some reason you keep them in the bathroom on your jet." She took in his shocked face. "This is good news right?"

"The best." He picked up Beth and placed a kiss on her head. "You're going to have a baby brother or sister."

Pepper smiled and snuggled in, Tony had one arm wrapped around Elizabeth and a protective hand on Pepper's stomach. This is how Happy found them when he walked in after making his sandwich, he snapped a quick photo of the content family, sure that his bosses and friends would appreciate it when they woke up.

**TBC…**

**As usual feedback appreciated =) Hope you enjoyed reading this! **

**Hamley's by the way cracking toy shop I go every time I'm in London and I'm 20 years old!**


	14. Cravings

**Sorry, this is taking a while. I've had some major writers block (despite having the next few chapters planned) so I hope you enjoy. I can't remember if I pointed it out already but I'm basing Tony and Pepper's ages on those of Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow. **

**Cravings**

Tony held Pepper's hand as he carried his daughter down the stairs of his private jet, there was a car waiting for Happy to drive them home when he too descended from the aircraft.

"Bef down?" The little girl asked. She'd learnt to say a few basic words including Ma, Dada, up and down with her first word being Juice (uice as she pronounced it), which irritated Pepper slightly but amused Tony.

Tony carefully placed the little girl down on the ground at 18 months she was really starting to get the hang of walking. He tightly held on to one hand and Pepper took the other and they slowly made their way over to the waiting Bentley where Tony strapped her in to the car seat.

"Home Happy and don't spare the horses!" Tony declared as Happy slid into the driver's seat.

"Right you are boss!" Happy said and he drove away from the small private airfield used by the Stark Industries Aviation department. They pulled up to the Malibu mansion and Happy helped unload the many bags from the car and left them where dummy and butterfingers would most likely help to put them away.

"Happy, we've still got a few days of vacation left, so you can take the rest of the week off." Pepper told him once they were finished she was holding Beth who'd fallen asleep on the way over.

"Thanks Pep." He said goodbye and left them there.

"So what's the plan for the rest of the week then boss?" Tony asked from the couch where he was absently flicking through the channels.

"We can start looking at pre-schools for Beth."

"She's not even two yet Pepper!"

"The good ones have waiting lists."

"What's the point of being a billionaire and a superhero if you can't even get your kid in to a good school?"

"We're doing this properly Tony. We need to find a good day care programme as well, I can't keep taking her to work with me or letting you take the day off."

"Don't need day care, all I do all day is hang out with the guys in R&D and design things, I'll look after her." Tony tried, he remembered what it was like to be handed off to day cares and nanny's and didn't want his kids going through the same experience.

As if she read his mind "It's not because we don't love them, in an ideal world we could look after her all day and do the work, but I took the time off, running the company from home, I need to be there, you need to be there and Beth needs to interact with people her own age."

"Do we have a day care at the office?"

"No, I suggested it once, but you don't like children or you didn't and said it would distract people."

"You're the boss Pepper, let's get one set up, we'll use the conference rooms set up for the weapons division. Don't need those anymore."

"Do you realise how hard it is to set up a day care?" Pepper asked thinking of insurance, staffing and facilities.

"Do you realise how nice it'll be to have the kids at the office with us?" He countered "You'd like that huh princess? Coming to work with daddy." He asked Beth who was now awake and playing with the arc reactor in Tony's chest.

"Uice! Dada uice!" Tony just smirked.

"The next stage will be Dada money, you know that right?" Pepper asked the day care conversation shelved as their attention moved to their child.

"As if there was any doubt daddy's little girl was going to be spoilt."

"We could try not spoiling her. When she asks for a pony you could say no." Pepper told him

"You think she'll want a pony?"

"Probably, every little girl does at some point."

"Perhaps I should look in to having a stable built."

"No Tony. No stables."

"But the little princess wants a pony!" He stood and put the little girl on his shoulders, she squealed with laughter as he practically skipped around the front room, Pepper shook her head and turned her attention to her ringing blackberry.

"Who is it?" Tony asked as he put Beth down by a small pile of toys left downstairs for her to play with.

"My brother, he's bringing the boys out to California for a few days over the long weekend. They're going to go to Disney Land want to know if we'd like to join them."

"Sounds good." He said and stood moving towards the workshop.

"Where are you going?"

"Beth's happy; I thought I'd go run some tests on the new suit components."

"Go play, but be back in time for dinner."

A few weeks later Tony was awoken by his wife running from the bed to the bathroom, he followed her, pulling her hair back as she vomited in to the toilet.

"Morning sickness?" Tony asked

"No Tony, just felt like the throwing up first thing in the morning." She replied sarcastically

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Mrs Stark."

"I see why you use it then." She said before throwing up again.

"When's the doctor's appointment?"

"This afternoon." She threw up for another 10 minutes "Ok I think I'm done. I'm going to jump in the shower, alone, we've got a big day today." Today was the opening of the Stark Industries day care, the first group of parents had signed up including Tony and Pepper.

"I'll go get the little madam up and ready for her first day of day care." He placed a kiss on Pepper's forehead and went in to his daughter's bedroom.

"Ready for the first day of school little miss Stark?" He asked as he picked her up, she just snuggled in to her daddy's warm embrace. "And Disney land with Uncle Joey tomorrow?"

The family soon climbed in to the back of the Bentley driven by Happy. "Happy have we got time to stop at the deli on the way?" Pepper asked

"Uh, sure Pep we can stop."

Happy pulled up in front of Pepper's favourite deli, it was only two blocks from Stark Industries, Happy, Tony and Beth all sat patiently (well Beth was asleep, they'd discovered early on driving was a sure fire way to get the child to sleep) waiting for Pepper to return.

Pepper got back in the car and began to eat her sandwich. "Pepper what is in that sandwich?" Tony asked slightly disgusted by what his wife was eating.

"Ham, tuna, bbq sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles and olives, lightly toasted as well" She said like it was the most normal sandwich in the world "Would you like a bite?" She offered the foul smelling sandwich in Tony's face.

"No, I'm not hungry." Tony didn't think he'd ever be hungry again, Happy looked in the back of the car slightly confused. They hadn't told anyone she was pregnant again, including the driver.

They arrived at SI and Pepper deposited the wrapper for her sandwich in the trash can and they made their way to the new day care to officially open it for everybody to see, they spent some time with Beth before Pepper attended a meeting and Tony went to R&D where Pepper would drag him from a few hours later.

"How are we today Pepper?" Her gynaecologist asked.

"I'm good, a little hungry…"

"You stopped off for onion rings on the way." Tony protested

"Hungrier this time around?"

"Yeah, the cravings are a little weirder."

"You put tartar sauce on the onion rings."

"Shall we have a look?" The doctor asked. Pepper lifted her shirt and shivered when the gel was placed on. "Ok there's the heart beat." The soft whooshing noise filed the room. "And that's your baby, I'm going to estimate that it's 9 weeks old."

Tony and Pepper weren't even listening they were too busy looking at the small shape on the screen.

"There's its head and fingers and shoulders. The eyelids and earlobes are also developing now."

They stayed and talked to the doctor a little bit longer, who told Pepper, that given her age she'd like Pepper to take things easy and recommends taking an early maternity leave.

"Should make Disney Land fun tomorrow." Tony says.

"Well you can have all the fun and I'll keep an eye on our daughter."

Later that evening Tony and Pepper were trying to decide on dinner. "I feel like pizza." Tony declared

"Domino's?" Pepper asked, usually they ordered from a gourmet place in Malibu but she really felt like Domino's sauce was the best way to go.

"What pizza would you like?" Tony asked nervously, if her eating habits of the last few days were anything to go by then the pizza should be interesting.

"Large, extra cheese, tomato sauce uh…extra sauce, pepperoni, spicy sausage, ham, salami, Italian sausage, bacon…"

"Any vegetables?" Tony joked

"Shut up." Pepper snapped "Tomatoes, lots of olives, onions and pineapple." She smiled at her husband, who ordered standard meat lovers.

They sat eating their pizza when Pepper commented that all she could think about at the moment was pork and sausages, Tony used every ounce of self-control in to not mocking Pepper about her love of sausage, there were a great many dirty jokes running through his mind at the moment.

Joe Potts and his family arrived at the Stark mansion around 8am the next day and they were shocked at its size. Pepper greeted her brother and his family holding Beth on her hip. She invited them inside and smiled slightly as they were awestruck by the view of the Pacific Ocean from Tony's front room.

"You did good little sister." Joe said hugging her.

"Ginny, this house is lovely." Her sister in law Sarah told her.

"Mrs Stark, Mr Stark is pulling the car around now."

"What the hell was that?" Joey exclaimed

"Joe not in front of the kids!" Sarah told him.

"That's Tony's computer, he's called JARVIS, and he runs the house for Tony sort of like a virtual butler." Pepper explained

"That's creepy." Joe said

"You get used to it."

They arrived at Disney Land where people had started to notice the arrival of Tony Stark complete with the rarely seen baby. They went around the attractions with Pepper holding on the Beth and occasionally Ben and Scott when they wanted to go on the rides that they were unfortunately still a little too short for.

"Gin are you sure you don't want to go any of these?" Joe asked his sister as the group minus Pepper and the baby came up to her, all sopping wet.

"I'm absolutely positive Joey, I'm just enjoying my day off with the little princess." Pepper said as she strapped her back in to the push chair and they left to go and find some lunch. During lunch in which Pepper managed to order a fairly normal salad, she noticed herself getting more and more sick as the smell of the chicken irritated her more and more.

"Excuse me!" She rushed towards a bathroom

"I'll go see if she's ok." Sarah said, standing and following her sister-in-law, it wouldn't do well for Tony to be seen coming out of the women's room at Disney of all places.

"Ginny?" Sarah called, following the noise to the toilet.

"Yeah!" Pepper called out in between vomiting.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, it's just the chicken smell."

"It was the same when I was pregnant with the boys."

"How did you figure it out?" Pepper asked

"Not going on any of the rides, the throwing up, the glowing and the, oh what was it? That's right the ultrasound picture on your coffee table."

Pepper couldn't help but laugh. "You won't say anything right? We want to wait to tell people."

"You can count on me Virginia."

The rest of the day passed quickly, Pepper again avoided all the rides and Beth enjoyed some of the shows immensely especially the Fatasmic show that ended the evening.

"Will you guys be joining us tomorrow for California Adventure?" Joe asked his sister.

"No, you guys enjoy your vacation. We'll see you at Christmas anyway." Pepper smiled.

When they arrived home Tony, still wearing a ridiculous pair of ears that his nephews had given him (Beth had a small pair on and was clutching a stuffed Minnie Mouse tightly in her sleep), asked JARVIS to run a quick internet search for any mention of himself, Pepper or their daughter, especially after requesting the media didn't publish pictures of his child. Then he saw it a news article and a twitter trend.

_**Stark Expecting Again?**_

_Today, sources say that Virginia "Pepper" Stark is once again expecting a child and that she confirmed it to an unknown woman at Disney Land earlier today…_

Tony couldn't believe it, they wanted to keep it secret.

_**Stay at home CEO?**_

_Given the reputation that Tony Stark has for his…extra-curricular activities it's surprising there isn't already a football team of tiny Tony's running around, his wife and Stark Industries CEO is apparently pregnant again. Mrs Stark only returned from maternity leave six months ago and it looks like she'll soon be taking it again. Is she planning to run the multi-billion dollar business from the maternity ward or will Tony Stark soon be taking back control of SI?..._

He switched toTwitter where _Pepper Preggers _was a trending topic.

"Pepper?" He called out

"I've already seen it!" She called back.

So much for secrets Tony thought.

**TBC…**

**All the cravings and the smell of chicken is what my friend went through pregnant, eating with her is a true test of an iron stomach I promise. **

**I'm moving so expect updates far and few between. I hope you enjoyed this and I'll appreciate the feedback more =) **


	15. Tiny Tony

**So the last chapter helped me get over the writer's block (for now at least). I hope you enjoy this one and I apologise for the delay in getting it up, it's just between the writer's block and the fact that I need to be completely moved out (as I write this I'm surrounded by cardboard boxes) of my apartment on Wednesday.**

**Tiny Tony**

Pepper was in her 7th month of pregnancy and they were on the way to the doctor's appointment hopefully to be told what they were having, much like their father both Elizabeth and this baby were being very stubborn when it came to revealing important information to Pepper.

"Ok Virginia, you know the drill by now." The doctor greeted Pepper as she prepared for her ultrasound. Pepper lifted her shirt and shivered as the gel was placed on her.

"Ok…so there's the baby and there's the head and oh the baby is turning let's see if we can get a look." The Doctor moved the wand slightly. "I'm fairly certain that that's a little boy!"

Tony's face broke out in to a massive grin, whilst Pepper welled up with tears. After collecting their photographs Tony drove Pepper home.

"Do we have to go home?" Pepper asked "Rhodey has Beth and I've been in the house for weeks."

Tony laughed; Pepper had been forced on to maternity leave in her 5th month after some very painful cramping.

"Where would my lady like to go?"

"The pier, maybe grab some shrimp."

"You want to go to Bubba Gump Shrimp?" Tony asked incredulously, he'd suggested it before and she'd pretty much vetoed the idea whenever he suggested the restaurant before, calling it overpriced and shameless utilisation of a perfectly good movie (what about Disney Land? He argued).

"Yeah, I really do." She said and Tony just laughed. They enjoyed a quiet dinner before leaving, although when they did leave, they found the stalkerazzi waiting for them, obviously tipped off to the fact that Iron Man and his not-been-seen-in-public-for-months-pregnant wife were there. Tony helped force their way through the crowd and put Pepper in the passenger seat of the car before tossing the press gathered his trade mark peace sign and a quick grin before speeding off in the direction of Malibu.

"I don't understand why they're so obsessed with us. This is a town full of A-List celebrities doing all the things that made me famous." Tony whined, he usually liked the attention but at the moment he was finding all the questions about where Pepper had gone and had they split up both offensive and a waste of his time.

"Do the words I am Iron Man mean anything to you?" Pepper responded and Tony had no response, he just focused on the road ahead (meaning that Pepper won that argument).

"Baby names." Tony said as they sped down the PCH "We need to think of a name for our baby."

"I'd rather not have this conversation whilst you are driving 100miles per hour down the highway." As soon as she said she felt the car slow slightly (still speeding, but now double not triple digits).

They arrived home and were welcomed by JARVIS. "Welcome home Mr and Mrs Stark."

"Hello JARVIS." Pepper greeted the AI cheerfully

"Yeah hi, where are?..." His question went unfinished

"Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes and Miss Stark are in the nursery having a tea party." JARVIS said it like it was the most normal thing in the world. Tony went upstairs taking the steps two at a time.

"Would you like some help Pepper?" Pepper said sarcastically "Of course I'd love some help getting my big sat pregnant ass upstairs."

"Talking to yourself is most commonly viewed as one of the first signs of mental incapacity Mrs Stark." JARVIS cut across her angry mumblings.

"It's number 3 JARVIS after working for Tony Stark and marrying Tony Stark."

"Talking about me Pepper?" Tony, had been informed by JARVIS that she needed some help. "Why didn't you take the elevator?"

"I was going to…"

"Well that means your little mental break, or at least that's what JARVIS called it…"

"That's not quite what I said sir what I believe what was said was…"

"Mute." Tony said "it means your little melt down was unnecessary." He walked with Pepper over to the elevator which took them up to the floor with the nursery it was at the very top of the house with the library and the home office.

The sight that greeted them was one so funny Pepper didn't even try and stop Tony snapping the picture with his cell phone. Rhodey was sat at the tiny table with a little cup having the large pink hat on his head adjusted by the 2 year old Elizabeth Stark, who spun around on hearing the muffled snicker from her father.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" She hurried over as fast as her little legs would carry her to Tony who scooped her up.

"Hello princess" He gave her a kiss on the end of her nose causing her to giggle.

"How was she?" Pepper asked Rhodey who had yet to take off the hat.

"Daddy's little princess was fine." He said sarcastically "So calm, didn't fuss when it was time for her nap and totally isn't as hyperactive as her father."

"I'm sorry Jim." Pepper told him genuinely.

"Seriously Pepper how do you put up with both of them?"

"I think I'm a little bit crazy." She responded.

"You're all crazy!" Rhodey exclaimed "How was the appointment you guys were gone a while."

"It was great we're having a boy!" Tony was excited he could share that news with his best friend.

"A tiny Tony? That's just great." Rhodey sighed "Seriously though man, I'm happy for you."

"Sorry we took our time, we stopped off on the way for food." Pepper said as she tidied up some of the mess Beth had made.

"You took your lady out for food, whilst mine is waiting at her apartment?" Rhodey shook his head and made his way to the door.

"Hey Rhodey!" Tony called as his friend moved towards the elevator

"What Tony?"

"Don't ask don't tell may have been repealed but wearing a big pink bonnet to work is not the way to come out!" The aforementioned pink bonnet soon found itself flying towards Tony.

Later Tony and Pepper were lying in bed after finally getting Beth to go down for the night.

"The next one better be much better behaved." Pepper said as she rubbed her baby bump.

"Tiny Tony you mean?" Ever since the words left Rhodey's mouth Tony hadn't shut up about it.

"We're not naming him that."

"You're no fun Pepper." He covered her hand with his. "No West Virginia, no Tiny Tony."

"Sorry but they're not having ridiculous names." She was adamant about that.

"Edward's not ridiculous." Tony said quietly and Pepper looked at him she was surprised he'd offered a real suggestion. "It's a family tradition." He continued and Pepper looked confused.

"My Great Grandfather was Walter Robert Stark and my Grandfather was Robert Howard, Dad was Howard Anthony and I'm Anthony Edward. You get where I'm going with this?"

"Where do the middle names come from?" Pepper asked

"Dad said they're whatever they wanted them to be although Anthony was a friend of Grandfathers, introduced him to my Grandma and Edward was dad's best friend growing up."

"You want it to mean something." Pepper understood where he was going with this.

"I was thinking James." Tony whispered rubbing small circles on Pepper's bump.

"After Rhodey?" Pepper asked

"No, well yes but No."

"You're not making any sense."

"The kid in Afghanistan the one with the camera his name was Jimmy, so I was thinking we could name him after both."

"Edward James Stark." I like it.

"It goes with Elizabeth Maria." Tony said "Although if we had another we'd need another 'E' name."

"I think two is enough don't you?" Pepper said.

"I don't know Pepper, making them is a lot of fun."

….

A few months later Tony clasping the small hand of his daughter walked her in to the room to meet her new baby brother who was currently sleeping against Pepper's chest.

"Elizabeth this is Edward, he's your baby brother." Tony said as he lifted her on the bed.

"Ehwad" She repeated, attempting her brother's name.

"Close princess let's stick with Ed see how that works out."

"Ed." She stated, seeming happy until the small bundle let out a loud wail and she clapped her hands over her ears. Tony chuckled whilst Pepper attempted to soothe the baby.

"Don't like!" Beth said

"I'm sure she'll grow to like him." Tony said as Pepper looked over a little concerned about the statement.

If Elizabeth Stark did grow to like her brother it took a long time. Once Pepper caught her trying to push the pushchair containing the baby away from her and Happy in the park, Happy caught the runway pushchair and Pepper caught the child. Another time Pepper caught her trying to open the baby gate going down to the workshop, Ed crawled around following her (often earning him a kick and her a time out). Tony laughed at the sibling jealousy and told Pepper that she'll get used to him eventually. Edward was proving to be a momma's boy whilst Beth was definitely still Daddy's princess.

….

Tony was sat in an office chair in the Avenger's base, he'd had to bring his kids with him as Pepper was away on business at the time, and he cast a glance at his sleeping daughter who was napping on another office chair next to him.

"Ducky!" The smaller child in his lap announced loudly as the small stuffed duck he'd been playing with dropped to the floor. Edward James "Ed" Stark was a few weeks from turning one and was now repeating the word "Ducky" at his father, indicating that she should help to retrieve the lost item.

"I got it." A voice from behind said as Natasha bent over to pick up the dropped toy which she handed back to the now happy child. "He looks more like you every time I see him." She points out. "Apart from that hair though. That hair is all Pepper."

Edward was the smaller version of Tony in every way except for the red hair which was clearly from Pepper, although his was a darker shade, more noticeably ginger, thanks to Tony. In comparison Beth was the perfect mixture of them both, Tony's hair and nose, Pepper's eyes and lips, a lighter version of his hair and a slightly darker complexion for the baby.

"His personality is all Pepper as well."

"Not quite the tiny Tony everyone thinks he is then." Natasha smiled as the boy continued to bounce the duck along the desk.

"Nah, but then who'd want another me?"

"Another Tony Stark? I think I'd rather go back to being frozen again." Steve Rodgers walked in to the room as Natasha picked up the sleeping child so she could sit down. "Bring your kids to work day?" He asked Tony

"Now there's an idea." Tony said "Two little suits, I wonder if I could have them grow with the kids."

"No suit!" A small hand smacked on the table drawing the room's attention. Ed's face was scrunched up and he was clearly not happy with the mention of his father's alter ego.

"And people think I'm scary when angry." Bruce Banner commented, he'd been working quietly in the corner of the room

The little group chuckled. "Yeah you're all Pepper aren't you." Tony stood up lifting the child "On that not I think it's time to go home for the night."

Tony left to go back to the small house just outside of New York, before the kids were born he had no problem flying clear across America in one day but tonight he decided he needed to sleep let the children rest. He used to think that this would be an inconvenience but Tony Stark was a changed man and the two tiny humans strapped in to the back on the limo cruising through Manhattan were now the most important thing in his world and that, surprisingly, was ok with him.

**TBC…**

**The next chapter will skip forward a year or two, I hope that's ok. I've also decided things are becoming a little too fluffy (the end of this chapter for example) so expect some angst. **


	16. First Day of School

**It's been a while I know, and I apologise. As I said in the last chapter this one is a little bit of a jump forward a few years. **

**First Day of School**

"First! Day! Of! School!" The small girl announces as she bounces on her parents bed, waking them from the blissful sleep they'd been in prior to her unruly wakeup.

"Mpmph." Pepper groaned and rolled back over

"Good morning Princess!" Tony wrapped his arms around the five year old, tickling her.

"Daddy!" She half berated and half giggled.

"What?" He asked still tickling her.

"It tickles!"

"That little Miss Stark is the point."

"Mommy!" She tried a new tactic, Pepper reached over and tickled Tony's side causing him to do a (what he would later argue was in fact) a very manly giggle.

"Not fair." He said leaning over to kiss his wife.

"Eeeeeew!" Beth scrunched up her face. "Mommy boys are icky!"

"Yes they are. Very, very icky!" Tony told her seriously, Pepper just rolled her eyes.

"Shall we go get dressed?" Pepper asked the five year old

"Can I wake Ed up?"

"No, honey leave him sleep."

"But it's the first day of school!" She huffed.

"Not for him, he's still too little." Pepper was convinced her daughter had ulterior motives for wanting to wake the three year old up. Despite what Tony had argued he still wasn't Elizabeth's favourite person.

They walked in to Beth's Disney princess bedroom and begun to pull out some clothes. "No mommy the red one! Like daddy's suit." She tried, Pepper just shook her head. It was ridiculous how much like her father the small girl was.

By the time they made it down to breakfast Tony was trying to convince Ed to eat some toast.

"Nope." He shook his head "I want that one!" He pointed to the large chocolate cereal box on the counter.

"That's daddy's silly." Beth announced.

"It's big boy cereal." Pepper told him.

"Ed a big boy!" The child said fixing his chocolate brown eyes on his mother.

"Yes you are, and do you know what big boys do?" Tony asked and Ed shook his head.

"Big boys eat toast." Tony said and the child looked for confirmation from his mother who nodded.

One family breakfast later and they were loaded in to the back of the limo, Beth just talking about how excited she was for school and then Tony received a phone call.

"Morning platypus!" He said after he saw the caller id

"Uncle Jim!" Beth shouted

"_Hey Tony..." He chuckled when he heard Beth "Tell her I said hi. I've got some news! Great news in fact." _

"You're giving me my suit back?" Tony joked

"_Hell no!" Rhodey said "I asked Joanne to marry me..." _

"About time it's been what 4 years?"

"_About that yeah, anyway she said yes!"_

"Rhodey that's great news, I'll let you tell Pepper." Tony handed the cell to his wife

"Hey Jim, what can I do for you this morning?"

"_Hey Pepper, I asked Joanne to marry me and she said yes!" _

"Oh, Jim I'm so happy for you!" They talked for a little bit longer and then handed the phone back to Tony.

"Rhodes, drinks tonight 9pm. You know where." And he hung up without further words, and just smirked at the look on Pepper's face; they dropped Ed off at day care and then proceeded to the private elementary school in downtown LA where they'd be sending Elizabeth and eventually Edward.

They joined the group of parents, most of who were amongst the wealthiest in the city, yet were still a little star struck by Tony and Pepper.

"Daniel Crawley." A man introduced himself to Tony "Cardiologist at Cedars Sinai"

"Tony Stark." Tony shook the man's hand. "Super hero." Tony's joke drew a chuckle from the man and a pointed glare from Pepper.

"Which one is yours?" The man asked "Mines the one in the yellow shirt playing in the sandbox"

"Mine's the one in the red shirt playing with your daughter." Tony said and the two men smiled as the two girls continued to play, the two men continued to talk about their daughters, and Tony eventually remembered to introduce his wife to the man.

"They're calling the class in." Pepper points out and the small group departed, with a promise of Pepper to set up a play date with Daniel's daughter (Sarah). Tony and Pepper stayed with their daughter for the first hour, whilst they met the teacher and the class was introduced.

By the time Tony and Pepper made it in to the office it was nearly lunch time, so they ordered some takeout and Pepper joined Tony in his office where soon their attention was drawn by the report on the television.

"_Today marks the 8__th__ anniversary of Tony Stark's disappearance in Afghanistan. It comes on the day his eldest child starts school and the day after his wife, Virginia 'Pepper' Potts, birthday. We'll look briefly at the incident and the still less than clear circumstances surrounding the abduction including how after he returned the loss of Obadiah Stane has influenced him and the relationship he has with his PA turned Wife/CEO, the report will be shown in full tonight at 7pm pacific time but for now we'll show you the condensed version._

_In September 2008 billionaire industrialist, fresh from his no-show at a Vegas awards ceremony jetted out to Afghanistan where the day after his arrival and on return from his Jericho Missile display the convoy he was travelling came under attack and for three months nobody knew where Stark was, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes heads the search whilst Stark suffers through unimaginable and unknown struggles at the hands of a group known as the Ten Rings…."_

"Mute." Pepper cut the reporter off, looking at Tony, whose eyes had gone dark, she reached a hand out. "Tony…"

"Its fine Pepper, they do this every year."

"And every year you shut yourself off from me, the kids, Rhodey…everyone."

"Pepper…"

"Tony, please don't think about…"

"How can I not think about it?" He was getting angry now "I think about it every time I see the blue glow, or climb in that suit or look at you, the kids and think how close I was to losing everything!" He'd gone from angry to yelling.

"Don't yell at me Anthony Stark." She said firmly "Take the day off, go home. Have a drink work on the cars but don't dwell on it. It happened."

So Tony took her advice, he went and had a drink or seven, Pepper stood nervously whilst an oblivious five year old re-told the story of her first day at school to a father who was too drunk to remember it and then he left to go and see his friend against Pepper's advice.

"RHODES!" Tony called from the VIP room, champagne bottle swinging in his hand.

"Hey Tony, started the party without me?" Rhodey who'd already been briefed by Pepper on his state (not that he needed reminding of the date).

"Brigadier General Rhodes, congratulations on the promotion and the whole getting married thing."

"Thanks buddy. Do you think maybe you should calm down a bit?" Rhodey said he never had enjoyed the part of the relationship where he'd had to babysit Tony.

"It's a party Rhodey! A celebration, let's drink and be merry!" As Tony said this, Rhodey was already texting Pepper. "Did you know this time last year a man named Yinsen was attaching a car battery to my chest!"

"Tony it was 8 years ago, not last year."

"8 years, last year, last week! What does it matter?" Tony took a swig from the champagne bottle, emptying it. "The booze is gone, I'm going to find more." With that he stumbled off in the general direction of where he thought he saw a waitress.

Rhodey made his way outside to call Pepper. "Pepper can you come pick him up?"

"_How bad?"_

"Pre-Afghanistan."

"_I'll send Happy out now, I need to stay with the kids. Look after him Jimmy." _

"I'll do my best Mrs Stark."

Happy arrived 20 minutes later and was greeted by Rhodey outside. "Hey Happy."

"Hey General Rhodes. Congrats on that and the engagement." Happy shook his hand. "Where's the boss?"

"I don't know, I've been searching for him for the last 30 minutes." They walked in and saw a group of people gathered around the coat check, Rhodey stood on tip toes and was horrified to see Tony pants around his ankles sharing a cigarette and scotch with a blonde 20-something.

"Get up." He told him sternly.

"Rhodey! Oh and you bought Happy! Good, I was wondering how Cr…Crystal…no…Brandi! I was wondering how we're going to get back to the mansion."

"Only you are going back to the mansion Tony. You know, that big ole' house on a cliff where your wife lives."

"Enough of the wife jokes Jim! Pepper and I may act like we're married, but the ice queen is never going to give it up for me. What time do we leave for the Jericho thing?"

"Tomorrow. It's early as well Tony, that's why you're going home to get some rest."

Tony jumped up. "I'll rest when I'm dead. Happy!" He called out

"Yes boss?"

"Remind me to look up common-law marriage. See if I can get Potts that way."

"What's wrong with him?" Happy whispered as they helped the boss to the waiting car.

"A mixture of booze and PTSD."

"Pepper's going to kill him."

"I hope so. He deserves it."

Tony didn't remember last night, all he was aware of was the splitting headache and the nausea he was feeling.

"Get up." Ah…he thought, he recognised that stern voice. It belonged to Pepper.

He cracked his eyes open, thankful the room was still dim.

"Get up." She repeated.

"Jesus Pep, let me wake up a bit."

"Its 11am Tony, I've already been up for hours, dealing with your children and the mess you created!" She threw a paper on the bed and even in his hung over state he could read the front.

"_**COSY IN COAT CHECK! **__Iron Man's alter-ego Tony Stark made reappearance last night after nearly a decade in hiding. Mr Stark was seen getting cosy in the coat check booth of an LA club with a mystery woman who was definitely not Mrs Stark…"_

Tony looked at the photo, of himself in an incriminating position with a young blonde.

"Pepper…"

"I don't want to hear it."

"Pepper, please it was a mistake!"

"Pack a bag."

"You throwing me out?" The devastation he was feeling, rivalled that of the feelings when he'd been told his parents were dead.

"No. Against my better judgement, I'm not throwing you out." She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe "I'm sending you to get help. I should've done it 8 years and 3 months ago but I didn't. I should've done it the first time this happened."

"I'll do whatever it takes Pepper." He reached out a hand towards her and was horrified when she jerked back "Pepper I love you." He looked at her expectantly

"Don't ask me to say it now Tony. Not after this…"

"Pepper…"

"Up, shower, pack. Happy will be here in 30 minutes." She left, heels clicking on the floor and only then did Tony really start to think, that'd he'd lost it all.

**TBC…**

**So there we go, I lured you in with fluff then stomped all over it. It's all too fluffy, and don't worry everything will be sorted in the next chapter or two. **

**Rhodey needed a promotion or two it's been 8 years he can't stay Lieutenant Colonel forever! New characters introduced, hmmm they could be interesting…**

**Thoughts? Loved it? Hated it? Want to attack with an angry mob? Feedback and constructive criticism always appreciated =)**


	17. Fix It

**So you all went a while without update then you get one and it changes everything! I'll try and update more but I can't promise, I start my summer job on Monday and I need to see everyone before I head back to University. **

**Fix It **

Tony sat in the back of the car as Happy drove him away from his home, away from his wife and kids and away from his life. Happy glanced at his boss in the back of the Bentley he'd never seen him so defeated, so broken. Happy supposed Tony deserved it he'd brought it on himself drinking himself in to oblivion. The quiet contemplation of the two was interrupted by the ringing of Tony's cell phone.

"Hello?" Tony asked not even bothering to check the caller ID, the one person he wanted to call wouldn't be calling.

"_Mr Stark, you're needed…"_The voice of Nick Fury came across the phone. Tony was in no mood to deal with him.

"Listen Nick, whatever you're need me to do now is not a good time…"

"_I can't help it Stark, wrap up whatever the hell it is you're doing and…"_

"Pepper threw me out." He snapped and hung up, one eyed government officials be dammed, he looked at Happy "Take me to a hotel Happy."

"I can't boss, Pepper's told me to take you directly to rehab."

"I don't need rehab…"

"With all due respect sir, I think you do." Happy said and Tony stared at him.

"Feel free to speak candidly." Tony said sarcastically

"I always do." Happy said and an uneasy silence fell over the pair, Tony unwilling to face his reality and Happy falling in to his role as the silent chauffer.

Whilst Happy and Tony continued to drive somewhere Tony didn't know the phone rang again, Tony looked at the caller ID, blocked; it could only be one person.

"_Stark, listen whilst I'm sympathetic to your situation, I need you to be Iron Man right now."_

"Listen…"

"_Tony, I'm only going to say it once…please. We think we're going to face another situation like the abomination and I'd rather stop it before we call in the other guy. Problem is they're close, real close to figuring this out and we can't have that."_

"Where am I going?" Tony sighed.

"_This line isn't secure the co-ordinates are already hooked up to your HUD." _Fury hung up.

"Happy pull over."

"Boss, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Happy pull the car over. I promise tomorrow you can take me wherever it is you need to go but I need to do this."

"Pepper won't be…"

"She's already mad, what's a little madder?"

Happy pulled the car over on the side of the road and he grabbed his red and gold suitcase and Happy watched disapprovingly as the Iron Man suit wrapped itself around Tony and he blasted off towards a location unknown.

As soon as Tony was out of sight Happy pulled out his cell phone and dialled someone who was not going to be happy to hear what he had to say.

She picked up after 2 rings _"Happy?"_

"Pepper, we've got a problem. A red and gold one."

…..

It was later that evening when JARVIS announced to Pepper that Tony was about to return to the mansion and she went down and waited.

"JARVIS, it's very important that no matter how much he begs that you don't let him leave the workshop and come up to the main house tonight."

"Of course Mrs Stark."

He landed and the bots immediately began to take off the battle scared armour, he saw her waiting for him and he was suddenly filled with hope.

"Pepper." He reached out a hand as he walked towards her however, he was again crushed when she took a step back.

"What are you doing here?" She asked coldly

"I…"

"Please Tony you can't be here."

As painful as his next question was he knew it needed to be asked "Are we over?"

The features on her face softened "No, we're not over Tony, but until you sort yourself out I can't have you near our children. I don't want you to hurt them."

"I would never…"

"You already are."

Tony nodded, he knew Pepper was not negotiating right now so he accepted his fate. He was determined not to let this be the end of them. "What do we do now?" He asked.

"Now? Now you can either stay down here or go to a hotel and Happy will take you to rehab in the morning."

Rehab. There was a word neither had mentioned during this whole incident but was now quickly becoming his reality. He grabbed the bag which had been dropped off by Happy and climbed in to his car and as he left the tears finally began to slip from her eyes.

Pepper eventually braved going back upstairs, the kids had fallen asleep watching a movie. She carried them both to bed but couldn't sleep so she flicked on the TV stopping when she heard his name.

"_Tony Stark was tonight seen checking in to a hotel, after being caught committing adultery last night who can really say they're surprised? When he arrived he wasn't that normal Tony Stark, he covered his face and walked straight inside. It leaves us wondering is the fairy tale over for Tony and Pepper Stark…"_

She couldn't listen anymore, she looked at her phone, there were missed calls from her mother and her brother, her sister-in-law and friends. They could all wait she decided.

….

Tony stood in a bleak room as his case was gone through. "I'm very sorry Mr Stark, its standard policy here. We need to check you've not brought anything with you."

"It's fine." He answered glibly

"Can I check that case?" The man pointed to the red and gold case.

"No."

"Mr Stark…"

"I am Iron Man. That case contains no alcohol, but for national security reasons I can't show you the inside." The man got the unsubtle hint and just nodded.

"Ok Mr Stark, if you can follow me." Tony followed the man down the hall. "Today we'll let you settle in, you have a daily phone call for the first week, then you can call whoever you want for as long as you want after 2 weeks you can have visitors." They walked through a door, the room looked over a beautiful garden where a few other patients were walking around.

The staff member left and Tony heard the door lock, he paced the sparsely decorated room looking around. 'I could use a drink.' He thought and he chuckled when he realised what he said 'That's why you're here in the first place.'

After a few hours, Tony began to pace he was becoming irritated. The door unclicked and a guy walked through the door. "Tony Stark?" He asked

"No, James Rhodes." Tony replied.

"Very funny, last time I checked James Rhodes was black."

"So you know who I am do you want to share with the class who you are?"

"Robert Wallis, I'm here to help you. The next couple of hours aren't going to be pretty. Trust me, I've done this a few times."

"I'm sure you're only trying to help, but really it's not necessary. I'm not an alcoholic, I don't need a drink. Would I like one right now? Sure."

"Cool, I hate dealing with other alcoholics. Perhaps we can just talk instead? So they think that you're detoxing."

"I don't feel like talking, how do I know you're not a reporter?"

"I'm not a reporter, besides I signed an NDA. You'll be signing one too before the therapy starts."

"A goody…"

"Feeling irritable Tony?"

"No."

"So, what finally made you come?"

"My wife."

"Kick you out?"

"Everyone knows she did. It was all over the TV."

"No TV here Tony…."

"Well isn't that just fabulous?"

"You seem irritable Tony."

"Of course I'm irritable, I cheated on my wife and she sent me here where they've locked me in a room for four fucking hours with nobody except you to talk to."

"It's also a symptom of alcohol withdrawal."

Tony continued to trade barbs back and forth with Robert for an hour before he began to complain of a headache. Rob watched as the man climbed on the bed and fell into an uneasy sleep shivering, tossing, turning and moaning until suddenly he shot up and threw up, only just managing to get the bucket by the bed.

"Are you sure you're not in withdrawal?" Rob asked the smugness evident.

"So you're like…12, how have been through this a few times?" Changing the subject when confronted with an awkward topic. Tony Stark 101.

"I'm 23 actually."

"You've only been allowed to drink for 2 years…"

"Legally, besides it's not just drink that's my problem."

"You're being incredibly candid with someone who never signed a NDA."

"I'm a nobody Tony; no one will care if you tell the papers about me."

"So what are your vices?"

"Well at the moment I'm on booze, but the two times before that? Pills."

"The fun kind?"

"The pain kind. Started when I got wounded in Afghanistan."

"Wounded in Afghanistan? I can understand that." He unconsciously tapped his chest.

"Yeah well, the grunt candy you get after an IED is pretty good stuff…" The rest of the sentence was cut off by Tony vomiting again.

"So the booze."

"Flashbacks, getting drunk both helps and causes them."

"Sounds familiar."

"Yeah I read the file."

"Do I get to read yours? You show me yours and I show you mine?" It was an opportunity for innuendo and Tony couldn't resist.

"Nah, you didn't sign an NDA" He winked at Tony who rolled on to his back on his bed.

…

"Hello?" Pepper answered the phone

"_Pepper?" _ A familiar voice came down the phone.

"Tony?"

"_Yeah it's me I called to talk to you."_

"About?"

"_Jesus Christ! Do I need a purpose? How about you're my wife and I love you? I want to hear your voice."_

"How's Northern California?"

"_If you mean rehab it's fine. They've got me in a room and I've got nothing to do! I'm bored. I miss you and I miss my kids."_

"Would you like to talk to your kids?"

"_Yes. But I'd like to talk to you."_

"Here's Beth." She could just imagine Tony sighing as she handed over the phone handset to her daughter, she sat there and watched as she talked animatedly about everything from her day to painting her brothers toenails (with a permanent sharpie).

"Mommy, Daddy says I has to put you on now." She held the phone up to her mother.

"_Pepper? Listen, I've got to go. I love you and I love Beth and Ed, I miss you."_

"Good bye Tony." She hung up the phone, although felt a pang of guilt for not telling him she loved him too.

"Mommy?"

"Yes sweetheart?" Only Tony called her princess.

"When's daddy coming home?"

"Soon."

"When's soon?" The little girl demanded.

…..

"Tony, we've had a few of these sessions now and you've not said anything."

"I've got nothing to tell you." Tony sat back in his chair

"Why don't you tell me about what brought you here?"

"I got drunk cheated on my wife."

"What lead to the drinking?" The therapist kept pushing.

"It was a party, I had too much."

"Tony, we can't help if you won't talk."

"Have you ever considered I don't want or need help?"

"I'm aware you don't want it but I don't think you're foolish enough to think you need it." The therapist checked his watch. "Our time is up today Tony, we'll talk more tomorrow."

Rob was waiting for Tony when he left the therapists office.

"Still not talking?" Rob asked him

"How can you tell?"

"You're not crying."

"I am Iron Man, I don't cry."

"Your wife isn't going to let you come home until you talk."

"She won't talk to me."

"Well I'm on my third round of rehab my family want nothing to do with me either."

…...

"So how long has been gone?" Rhodey asked

"3 weeks."

"Have you seen him?"

"No, he doesn't get why he's there."

"You should see him Pep, remind him." Rhodey reached out a sympathetic hand to her.

…..

Tony was ecstatic Pepper was finally coming to visit him. He sat on the couch in the small family room then he heard the familiar clicking of her heels and he looked up and saw her.

"You came." He smiled at her

"I said I would. I keep my promises Tony." The subtle hint was hard to miss, she was still mad because he cheated.

"When can I come home?"

"When you talk to your therapist and participate in the treatment."

"Pepper, I'm fine I've not had a drink in 3 weeks and I won't get that drunk ever again." He took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling "Did you bring Beth and Ed?"

"No."

"They've got to be wondering where I am."

"They are, but I'd rather they miss you than see you as a drunk. My father was a drunken bastard and they won't be growing up the same way."

"Pepper I'm not like him." She'd talked about her father once and only once

"I bought you some reading material." She threw the magazines on the table and stood to leave, she looked at him.

"I miss you Tony." It wasn't the I love you he was hoping for, but it was progress. Tony looked at the magazines on the table, all tabloids but all featured him and Pepper on the front:

_**Insiders Tell All about Stark's Ice Queen and What Drove Him to Cheat**_

_**I Slept with Tony Stark! The waitress sells her story**_

_**Iron Clad Pre-Nup?**_

_**Did She Send Him to Rehab?**_

_**Pepper Pesters Divorce Lawyer**_

_**James Rhodes Seen Leaving Stark Mansion Late! With Tony out of the picture has she moved on from Iron Man?**_

"Nasty stuff." It was Rob "Your visit was quick." Tony said nothing as he stood and left the room, he walked in to the therapist's office.

"I'm in a session Tony."

"I'm ready to talk doc."

**TBC…**

**Probably a little OOC, but it's a weird situation. I'm only planning on this little story line lasting one more chapter possibly two. We'll see more of Rob and find out about Pepper's dad.**


	18. Coming Clean

**Ok, so this is one of the hardest chapters I've had to write, so if it totally sucks please don't shout I tried! Sorry it took a while, work and college work are taking priority and things are getting a little hectic.**

**Coming Clean**

"So you finally decided you want to talk." The Therapist stated, although the tone implied it was more of a question than a statement.

"No I decided I'd like to go home." Tony told the man

"What changed your mind?"

"My wife came to visit me she said some stuff and showed me these…" He threw the magazines Pepper had brought on the table. "I don't want my kids seeing this stuff."

"Is that all you don't want them seeing?"

"I don't want them to see me drunk. I grew up in a world where the scotch meant power and the word alcoholic wasn't mentioned, my wife grew up with an abusive father who loved the bottle more than his own wife and kids. Beth and Ed are young enough not to remember this. They can grow up with stable…ish parents."

"Stable-ish?" The therapist asked

"Yep."

The therapist filled that away, they'd bring it up later. "So you've done the whole therapy thing before after the plane crash that killed your parents?"

He knew it was true but thought he'd check anyway "Yep, didn't stick though I had more pressing matters to deal with." He'd spent the months after his parent's death at age 17 celebrating the loss of his virginity by working his way through sleeping with every playmate of the year for the last five years.

"Well we'll start with the incident that brought you here and then we'll work back over the next few sessions and introduce you to group therapy. But right now we're starting on your 12 steps to recovery. The first step is admitting you have a problem and that you need help, you've done this. Congratulations."

"Gee thanks." The sarcasm was dripping from his voice.

"Tell me how you ended up here Tony." The therapist told him "Don't just say I got drunk and cheated on my wife either." He added for good measure.

"It was the day before my wife's birthday and my best friend got engaged the night before, so we went out to celebrate but the night before my wife's birthday is the day I left for Afghanistan."

"What happened in Afghanistan?"

"Everybody knows that, I was kidnapped."

"Yeah, that's what the media said but I want to know what happened."

"We were driving along and we were hit, I took cover behind some rocks when a missile landed next to me and I freaked out. Then I saw the words on the side _Stark Industries, _it was my own damn missile and then it exploded.

The next thing I know I'm in a cave and it's just blurry memories but I remember pain and being awake as man called Yinsen put a car battery in my chest."

"A car battery?" The therapist asked shocked at what he was hearing.

"Yeah, the shrapnel from the explosion lodged in my chest and is working its way towards my heart. The car battery was powering an electro magnet keeping it in place.

Then they, the guys who kidnapped me, wanted me to build them a Jericho missile and I refused so they tortured me, ramming my head in water and pulling on the wires in my chest. It was then I decided to put in a self-contained power source." He wasn't about to talk about arc reactor tech to a man he didn't know.

"So I told them I was going to do it, but the whole time I worked on a way to escape. They tried to kill Yinsen when they realised what we were doing. I couldn't let that happen so I convinced them I needed him and when what we'd planned was nearly ready he sacrificed himself so I could escape.

Before it all happened he asked if I had anybody…a family, I told him I didn't and he told me he did. But then I found out they were already dead. So I escaped and came home, became Iron Man and the rest is all available on the internet."

Pepper would've been proud, it was the most he'd ever shared. He was drained emotionally.

"I think we're done for today Tony." The therapist told him. "Tomorrow I'll start you on group therapy. Well done I know this is difficult."

… … …..

"Hey Pepper." Tony said down the phone.

"_Hello Tony." She responded._

"I went to therapy today, I talked about Afghanistan."

_She was shocked, not really sure if she believed him. "You did?"_

"Of course I did, I want to come home."

"_It's not about coming home Tony it's about getting better." She scolded him._

"I want to get better so we can you know…be happy again."

"_Tony…"_

"I love you and I want to come home."

_She thought for a moment. She knew he really was trying the therapist in charge of his treatment had called to tell her he was finally participating and she knew he loved her. "I love you too Tony and I want you to come home."_

He was ecstatic, she'd finally said it. It had been nearly a month since she gave him any indication she still felt that way about him. "Pepper…"

_She knew whilst he felt good now what she was going to say was going to hurt him anyway. "Tony, I still can't let you come home yet and I still don't want you to see the kids."_

"I get it no really I do just next time you come to visit bring something I can work on. I'm one go-fish, nobody wants to play black jack or poker with me, game away from opening the case and dismantling my suit just for something to do."

"_I'll be in New York with the board this weekend, but Rhodey's coming up on Saturday."_

… … ….

Tony was sat in the garden when James Rhodes found him.

"Hey Tony." He greeted grabbing the billionaire's attention.

"Platypus you come to save me again?"

"Don't call me that." Rhodey whined

"Sorry sour patch."

"Tony, I swear to go I'll take my gift back to Malibu…"

"What did you bring me?"

"I may have asked nicely if I can bring the hot rod for you to work on."

"I love you."

"Loving other people's what got you here in the first place."

"Ouch. I take it back."

"One condition though..."

"Oh here we go, always with the fun sucking Rhodes."

"You need to teach some of the kids in this place some engine basics."

"I could do that…" He said uncertainly, Tony Stark had little patience for people who didn't work at the same level as well as he did.

"Good, now give me a tour of this place and tell me how it's turning you in to a functioning member of society."

…. ….

It had been a month since Tony's conversation with his therapist and he'd moved on to group therapy, he was also moving forward slightly with Pepper, she'd started to come up every week to visit. Although Tony was well aware of the fact she'd not forgiven him for cheating on her, he just hoped that she'd forgive him eventually. Together they'd been using some of her visits to work through the issue of his infidelity, so when it came to this week's visit he was no longer surprised when he went to kiss her and she turned her cheek.

"Hi." He said softly taking her hand in his and leading her away from the main garden to a smaller one, usually reserved for yoga overlooking the ocean.

"How are you feeling?"

"Jeez Pepper you have to ask that too?" He joked, then he looked at the figure they were approaching "There's somebody I want you to meet."

"Hey Tony." Rob greeted his friend

"Rob, this is my wife Pepper," He looked at Pepper "Pepper this is Rob Wallis, he's going to be my sponsor when I blow this join next week."

"Nice to meet…Next Week?" She was shocked.

"Yep, apparently after two months they get sick of me too."

"They just got bored of you dismantling their computers and kitchen equipment." Rob joked

"I was improving things." Tony tried to defend himself

"Just keep telling yourself that." Pepper said voice remaining neutral, although nobody missed the sarcasm in the sentence.

"Rob when do you leave?" Pepper asked politely

"I leave tonight actually. I'm just waiting for a ride down to LA."

"You live in LA?" Tony asked

"Yeah, there's a halfway house that's willing to take me in, then I'm going to try and find a job."

"A halfway house?" Tony asked

"Yeah my mom's not keen on letting me back in the house and I blew through the cash I got when I left the corps."

"Marine?" Pepper asked him

"Yes mam. I was an aircraft mechanic, working on helicopters mostly." Rob finished and Tony looked at Pepper.

"I think we've got something at Stark Industries if you're interested."

"Seriously? That'd be amazing!"

"Yeah, just come up to my office at…" She grabbed her blackberry and checked the schedule "…8:30am and we'll get you set up in the aircraft division."

"That's…wow, thank you so much." Rob didn't know what to say. "I'm gonna leave you guys alone now." He hurried off to finish packing, leaving Tony and Pepper alone.

"You could've told me you were coming home next week." She said, voice not betraying how she was feeling.

"I found out this morning. Pepper, I know what I did was unforgivable but…"

"I'm trying Tony, I really am."

"Do I get to come home?" He asked, showing his emotions to the one person he could trust with them.

"Of course you do!" Sure they were having some trust problems, he cheated on her and she shipped him off to rehab, but she wasn't leaving him and she wasn't kicking him out of his own home.

"Do I get to come home to you?" It wasn't something many people knew about Tony Stark but people had a habit of leaving him and it left him feeling vulnerable.

"Tony, we may be having problems right now but as long as you do come home I'll always be there waiting." Then for the first time in two months she leant in and kissed her husband.

…. … …..

Happy pulled up the car in front of to door to Tony's mansion and the man in question got out of the car smiling at his driver and looking at his house.

"Glad to have you home boss." Happy said cheerfully, he'd missed Tony, yeah he was mad at him for what he did to Pepper but his friend had finally sort out the help he'd needed.

He'd opened the door and walked through the mansion until he found the kids play room and he couldn't help but smile, presiding over the tea party were two little girls and suffering were three teddy bears a sulking three year old and a robot with a pink bonnet (usually seen on the head of Rhodey) stuck on top.

"Daddy you came home!" She ran over to him and he scooped her up in his arms and gave her a huge hug and a kiss before he picked up his son, who was wearing one of Pepper's old skirts. He silently thanked some all-powerful deity for not giving him an older sister.

"Of course I came home. I couldn't miss your tea party!" He sat at the tiny table and took the offered empty cup and spent the afternoon with his children enjoying just being home and knowing that everything was ok for now at least

**TBC…**

**Feedback appreciated, will try and update soon but I've got an assignment due over the summer! **

**Thanks to everyone who's sticking this out, there is an actual plan believe it or not =)**


	19. Changes

**Sorry this took a while, I can't get access to the internet in my new house which is why all 3 of my WIPs have been updated at once, and usually I try to stagger it. **

**Changes**

"…no that's great. Thank you I'll definitely consider it. When do you need to know? Thank you good bye." Pepper hung up the phone and looked at Tony.

"Who was that?" Tony asked

"It was the Dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management she was offering me a job."

"You've got a job." Tony points out.

"Yeah I know. They want me to teach in the graduate school and a few undergrad classes."

"What about Stark Industries?"

"I could stay on as a consultant but I'd have to resign as CEO…"

"Who'd take over?...Are we seriously having this discussion?" Tony looked up from the schematics he was working on.

"I think we are." Pepper was as surprised as he was.

"You're actually willing to leave Stark Industries?" Tony was shocked after all these years he didn't think she'd quit now.

"It's not like I'm leaving you." Pepper countered

"But teaching!" He tried "I don't have the patience for that."

"Well I'm still with you after nearly twenty years so I think I can handle some college kids."

"Exactly twenty years Pepper. That's how long you've been working at Stark Industries. Two in the secretarial pool, 10 for me and 8 as CEO."

"I think I need a change."

"What if you hate it?" Tony tried

"Then I'll come back to SI." She reasoned

"What if the new CEO doesn't let you."

"I think you'd find it very difficult at home if you refused to hire me."

"It's not up to me, it'll be up to your replace…oh." It hit him. "I don't think I'd be very good at it."

"You did fine."

"No Pepper, you did fine."

"If you're that against it we'll find somebody else. Someone we both trust."

"You're who I trust!" He yelled.

"Tony, calm down!" She snapped back. "I hardly see you and the kids anymore I miss that."

"So work from home…"

"Tony you're acting like a petulant child." She looked him straight in the eye. "I don't enjoy the job, I'm irritable and I just want to spend more time with my family." Anything seemed to cause an argument these days. He'd been home from rehab for a month.

"Pepper…" He reached out a hand to take hers when she spun on her heels and fled the room. He would've followed her but a tiny hand tugging on his pants legs stopped him.

"Daddy?" The little boy asked.

"Yeah buddy?" He looked at his son.

"You and mommy fight?"

"No, we weren't fighting." The little boy seemed unsatisfied with his answer and looked at his father, who picked him up, sceptically.

"Play hide and go seek?" Ed had moved on to another conversation.

"Sure." He set the boy down and walked in to the main living room. "I'm going to count to 20 and try and you hide."

"No JARVIS to cheat." Ed told him sternly.

"Pinkie promise." He held out his finger for the child to shake. Tony covered his face with his hands "1, 2, 3…10…18, 19, 20. Ready or not here I come!" He called out.

Tony started by checking all of Ed's usual hiding places and began to panic when he couldn't find him. It was a large mansion and he didn't want Ed to get lost or scared. He moved on to some other hiding spots near the kitchen and after 10 minutes he still couldn't find the child.

"JARVIS!" He called out.

"Yes Sir?" The AI responded.

"I've lost Edward." He said worriedly.

"How may I ask did you manage that?" JARVIS asked

"Well I stood in the hall counted to twenty and he hid." Tony said.

"I believe that's a game known as hide and seek?" JARVIS checked.

"Yeah, JARVIS we were playing hide and seek!" Tony was panicking.

"Well it appears the young Mr Stark has won." JARVIS told his master, who was in no mood for the AI's jokes.

"JARVIS, tell me where he is or I'll rewire your circuits!"

"At the bottom of the stairs leading to the work area, talking to Mrs Stark." The AI told Tony who rushed to the stairs.

"Hey Ed! I thought we said this area was off limits for hide and seek!" He told the boy who was sitting on a step looking at his mother.

"Sorry daddy." He said looking at the floor.

"You look worried Tony." Pepper said.

"I couldn't find him." He looked at Pepper, who looked like she was about to go out. "Where are you going?"

"To see my doctor."

"Are you ok?" He asked quickly.

"I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little run down and I'm having mood swings, I just want to check everything's ok."

"If you're sure." He kissed her cheek, glad that she didn't pull away. "When you get back we'll talk about the UCLA thing ok?"

She kissed his lips. "Thank you." And went in to the workshop to find her car.

Tony picked his son up. "Just me and you buddy what shall we do?"

.. … …. …. ….. ….. ….. ….. …. ….

Pepper came home a few hours later to find father and son watching the adventures of Shrek on the TV, the smaller of the pair had long since fallen asleep.

Tony looked up as she walked in and curled herself against the side of him that was unoccupied by the sleeping child. "Where's Beth?" He asked

"Sleepover." Pepper said softly, as she stroked her son's hair. "I'm sorry Tony."

"About?" He asked, wrapping his free arm around her shoulder.

"How I've been acting these last few months."

"I think it's justified." He whispered, he'd not been helpful and the night he got drunk and cheated on her would haunt him forever.

"It's not." She kissed the hand that was wrapped around her. "I was getting you confused with him."

"Pepper…"

She cut him off. "No Tony, let me say it." Pepper took a deep breathe. "My father was a nice man before he started drinking, but he had a temper. Then after Joe was born he got worse, cheated on my mom with lots of women, spent his nights drinking."

It explained why Pepper's mother had been so sceptical of him when she first met him, this was also the most Pepper had told him about her father all he knew was that he was an alcoholic who walked out on his wife and kids.

"He used to hit mom, he tried to hit Joey but mom wouldn't let him. Although when I showed up he was so hateful and resentful of me that Joey took a beating once to save me and after that he wouldn't let up on Joe until Joey got big enough to hit him back. When he wasn't drunk he was still mean and the day he walked out on us is the best thing that ever happened to me, before you and the kids."

"Pepper…" Tony was at a loss for words, he just pulled his wife in closer. "I'm not your father and I never will be."

"I know, but that night you got drunk and slept with that waitress was the worst night I've ever had since you came back from the desert and all I could think of, was my father blames my mother for trapping him in with a kid and that's how the abuse and the drinking started."

"I love you and our kids are the most important things in the universe, I'll never leave you or them."

"I know Tony, I panicked."

"I'm sorry Pepper. So very, very sorry." Tony was hurting, he hated the man that did this to his wife and he hated himself more for making her relive the pain.

"I know."

"I love you so much Pepper."

"I love you too Tony." He squeezed her shoulders "That's not all I want to tell you."

"Please, don't tell me there's more to this story." He didn't even want to think about what else Pepper could tell him.

"I'm just over 3 months pregnant."

**TBC…**

**I threw in a little bit of humour in there if you can find it. Things will get more cheerful from here on out as this story reaches its conclusion. I'm unsure as to whether Pepper should leave Stark Industries or not so if you have an opinion share it. **

**The Avengers will be making reappearance soon as will someone else, but no hints (guesses are welcome). **

**I've actually got the epilogue written already and will try and update soon, but people have been securing their wifi networks, which whilst being the right thing to do is annoying for those without a connection. **


	20. Thinking

**So here's the next chapter and we'll deal with the aftermath of Pepper's second revelation. **

**Thinking**

Tony struggled to breathe, another baby? Could they cope? Well from a financial point they were set for life but emotionally? Tony and Pepper were not in a good place right now, they barely spoke to each other without an argument, Iron Man and business already got in the way of the family life he wished he could have.

"…of course the doctor says because of my age its high risk and…Tony are you even listening right now?" Pepper had been spouting off an unending stream of dialogue since she'd told him she was pregnant.

_Snap out of it! _He told himself "Pregnant." It was a question rather than the statement it came out like.

"Yes Tony, you know just like the other two times, do we really need to discuss how this happened?"

"I want to discuss how, when we've not had sex in three months."

"Just what are YOU accusing me of?"

"You said three months, we've not had sex in three months in fact we've barely spoken…"

"Just over three months Tony. She estimated at about 3 and half months so that's just before you cheated on me."

Tony winced, he should've paid attention and he couldn't quite believe he'd accused her of cheating on him. He knew her better than to believe she'd betray him, he had twenty years of evidence to the contrary. "But we've been using protection."

"The night before Beth's first day of school, we both had a little too much wine and you said you could out romance Ryan Gosling in the notebook..." Pepper trailed off hoping he wouldn't need much more of a prompt than that.

"Right." He nodded, having a vague memory of the night.

"Tony I'm keeping the baby." Pepper announced.

He paused, surely she didn't think he'd ask her to get rid of it. "I wouldn't…"

"I know. I'm just making sure that you're aware of the fact." She said softly, after realising how much she'd hurt him by accusing of him of that.

"I just need to get some air." He stood to leave when JARVIS announced he had an incoming call from Nick Fury, he took and it and walked towards the workshop so he could suit up. Pepper followed him down.

"I don't think this a good idea Tony."

"I've got to go Pepper."

"Your head's not in a good place tonight has been an emotional rollercoaster." She tried to reason with him. She was silent as he finished putting the suit on.

"I love you." He told her as the facemask came down and the eyes lit up and he blasted off.

"I love you too." She said to the empty workshop.

… …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. … … … … … …

Tony had been gone a few hours when JARVIS made an announcement that Pepper was not prepared for.

"Mrs Stark, Miss Romanoff of SHIELD is here."

"Natasha?" Pepper was immediately filled with worry, why would SHIELD send over an agent? Had something happened to Tony?

"Pepper?" Natasha called out.

"What happened is he ok?" Pepper didn't even greet the SHIELD agent.

"Tony's fine." Pepper let out a sigh of relief. "It's you we're worried about."

"Me?"

"Yes, you and the children. Somebodies out to get the Avengers, they already tried to snatch Betty Ross, but…"

"JARVIS where are Beth and Ed?" Pepper cut Natasha off.

"They're in the play room Mrs Stark."

Natasha grabbed her arm before she could run off. "Pepper we need you to get them, pack a bag and come with me we'll take you somewhere safe."

Pepper went to get the children whilst Natasha packed a bag and soon they were all bundled in to a discreet looking car heading away from the mansion.

"Mommy where are we going?" Beth asked her mother, who looked at Natasha for an answer only to be told they were going to a secure SHIELD facility.

"We're gonna go see Daddy." Pepper told her trying to keep a brave face on the situation.

"Ok." She said happily and went back to playing with the doll she had on her lap. Pepper glanced down at Edward who had fallen asleep on her lap.

They arrived shortly at the Stark Industries air field. "We're flying?" Pepper said looking at the strange aircraft parked waiting on the tarmac.

"Yeah." Natasha said as she buckled in Beth.

They took over an hour later they were landing on what looked like an aircraft carrier. As the ramp on the back of the aircraft lowered Pepper was glad to see Tony stood waiting for them, Beth ran off to see him as soon as she was unbuckled.

"Elizabeth! Don't run away!" Pepper called as the little girl was gathered up in her father's arms.

Pepper made her way towards her husband and daughter clutching the hand of a sleepy Edward who'd not long since woken up.

"Hi." Tony smiled sheepishly at her and kissed her cheek.

"Hi." She mimicked kissing him on the lips. "I was worried."

"I'm sorry."

"I hate to break up this family reunion Stark, but you're not going to…" There was a flash of light and a clap of thunder as Thor landed on the deck. Edward started to cry, he didn't like Thunder storms and Beth clapped her hands on her ears.

"Way to go Thunderstruck!" Tony said sarcastically as he looked at his friend.

"My apologies friend! It was not my intention to scare the young ones." Thor looked at the crying child who was being comforted by his mother.

"…as I was saying we're not going to want to be out here for much longer." Natasha managed to finish her sentence.

"Why not?" Pepper said although her question was soon answered as the Helicarrier began to take off, doing nothing to slow Ed's tears. "What the hell is this thing!" She shrieked.

"It's called a Helicarrier, it's SHIELD's flying base, you're going to want to stick a mask on or get inside." Tony said as he lead the small group inside the ship.

"Tony Stark, your child is in distress!" Thor announced pointing at Edward.

"His names Edward and he doesn't like Thunder." Tony said shooting Thor a pointed look.

"You do not like the Thunder young Edward Stark?" Thor asked the child, who looked terrified at being addressed by such a huge man. He shook his head then buried it in his mother's leg.

"Sorry Thor, he's a little shy." Pepper told the man, who she'd finally recognised from the night in Stark tower after the first Avengers battle.

"Do not be afraid young Stark!" Thor said crouching down to look at the child. "Next time there is Thunder call out for me and I shall banish it." He smiled at Ed, who continued to hide against his mother.

They walked in silence to the small room where the team had gathered. Pepper smiled as she saw the familiar faces . "I see we're all here." Nick Fury announced as Pepper and the kids slipped off to the side of the room to join the small group of people who looked equally out of place in the room as her and kids.

"Jane Foster." The woman next to Pepper whispered extending her hand which Pepper shook.

"Pepper Potts." She returned the handshake. "Hello Betty." Pepper whispered to the other familiar face in the room.

"Hello Pepper." Betty whispered back before the small group settled in to silence as Fury briefed the Avengers on the situation.

"I'll show you where we're sleeping." Tony led Pepper and his children to a small cabin in a corner of the ship. "They put us away from anything really dangerous, although Fury says the kids need to be supervised at all times just in case." The room was small, it only had two beds.

"Uh the kids'll have to share." He said quietly.

"It's fine." Pepper said.

"Are you sure."

"Yes Tony." She gave him a small smile anyway. "I am hungry though."

They found the mess hall and were eating when they were joined by Steve Rodgers who politely greeted the family and began to eat in relative silence, until Thor and Jane showed up.

On seeing the giant man Ed shuffled closer to his father. "I wouldn't expect your child to be shy." Steve chuckled.

"Not shy!" Ed called from his hiding place "Scared!" He pointed to Thor, who looked a little put out at being called scary by the small child.

"What's his name?" Jane whispered to Pepper.

"Edward." She then pointed to Beth, who was dripping pasta sauce down her chin. "This is Elizabeth."

"Edward?" Jane called softly, and Edward peaked around his father to look at the woman.

"Hi." He said quietly.

"Are you scared of Thor?" She pointed at him just so Ed would know who she was talking about. Ed nodded and Jane smiled. "A big brave boy like you!" She was surprised. "I thought boys were braver than girls?" She asked.

"They are." Ed told her, still not speaking very loud.

"I'm not scared of him, because he's not scary and if boys are braver than girls then you shouldn't be scared either right?" She winked at Pepper as Ed removed himself from his father's side.

"Hello Edward Stark!" Thor said quieter than his usual boisterous voice. "My name is Thor Odinson and I am a friend to your father and you!"

"Hi." Edward repeated quietly.

Pepper smiled at Tony as they watched Ed slowly begin to talk to Thor who even though, he didn't always understand what Ed was saying was listening intently.

Ed turned to Steve after he'd finished his dessert "Want to play GI Joe's with us?"

Steve looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the child looked at him expecting an answer, Steve looked at Tony who just shrugged. "Uh, sure."

"I want to play too!" Beth declared.

"Girls can't be GI Joe!" Ed declared.

"Edward." Pepper said sternly, the boy in question just huffed resigned to the fact he would be sharing his new friends with his big sister.

… …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …

The sight of three grown men and two children highly engrossed in the make believe battle they were taking part in would not leave Natasha Romanoff for the rest of her life. Tony Stark's children were being well entertained by Thor, Steve and Clint (who upon seeing the GI Joe's had to take part in the game). However there were no signs of the children's parents. Natasha had been sent to find Tony and bring him to director Fury.

She thought she'd try the lab where Banner was working. "Bruce have you seen Stark?" She asked the scientist.

"He's locked in his room with Pepper."

Natasha screwed her nose up, that was something she didn't want to see when she went to interrupt him.

However she was pleasantly surprised when she knocked on the door and was told to come in to find them both fully clothed and just sat opposite beds. "Fury wants you. he needs to talk to you." She told Tony and looked at Pepper, something was different.

Tony stood to leave and when he kissed her goodbye she clicked as to what it was.

"You're pregnant?" She asked Pepper.

"How could you tell?" Pepper asked the spy.

"Your hand keeps flying to your belly whenever you get panicked and when Tony left then he placed his hand on your stomach." Pepper accepted the explanation.

"Everything is ok right?" Natasha asked the woman who still seemed sad. Tony had been right, they hadn't got along when she worked for Stark Industries but Natasha could tell she wanted someone to talk to.

"We keep arguing, not about the baby, well not just about the baby but about everything."

"You don't trust him anymore." Natasha reasoned.

"I do."

"No you don't." Natasha said. "What he did was unforgivable yet, you've forgiven him anyway you just don't trust him yet."

Pepper thought about what she said and realised that Natasha was right. "Listen Pepper, Fury's about to send him and the others to take out this guy who wanted to hurt you and the kids, so when he's back take him away. Get General Rhodes to keep the kids and get away from Malibu and fix whatever problem it is you guys are having. He's sulking all the time, makes him hard to work with.

… ….. … … ….. … … … … … … … …. … … ….

Pepper thought about what Natasha had told her and whilst Tony was off on his mission she made some calls and had organised two weeks off for her and Tony and waited his return from his mission.

The door slid open and Tony shuffled in, took a glance at his sleeping children and then looked at his wife.

"You didn't have to wait up for me." He told her.

"Don't I always?" She answered with a grin. "Did you get him?"

"Yeah we did. Eye patch says we can go home tomorrow."

"The kids are going home tomorrow."

"Pepper, please don't…"

"We're going to the house in Bora Bora." They'd only visited Tony's wedding gift to Pepper once since it's completion on their first/second (delayed because of Pepper's pregnancy) anniversary and even then it was only a brief four days.

**TBC…**

**Hope you liked it (I'm not sure I like it), the next chapter will be happier I hope, I need cheerful as I draw this story to a close.**


	21. Mayhem and Matrimony

**So I'll be getting internet back on Friday! That's the good news, bad news…this story is nearly over. **

**Mayhem and Matrimony **

Rhodey's ears perked up at the sound of bickering making its way up the stairs.

"Hey guys, how was your vacation?" He asks nervously when Tony and Pepper come up the staircase, he's sat with some toy jets playing with Ed, who seemed fascinated by aeroplanes and flying.

"Great!" Tony declared smiling

"Awful." Pepper deadpanned at the same time.

"Come on Pepper it wasn't that bad." Tony looked at her.

"Our boat SANK!" She stared at him.

"I thought you guys went to that house in Tahiti?" Rhodes asked

"We did…" Pepper started but was cut off

"Which is still available for your honeymoon if you want it." Tony said quickly.

"…We did go to the house in Bora Bora but I arranged a boat ride like the one we had when this idiot proposed."

"You didn't think I was idiotic when I proposed…" He protested Pepper's statement.

"That's debateable." She quipped and Tony feigned a look of hurt. "Anyway, everything was going great until some idiot on a jet ski crashed in to our boat and it sank."

Rhodey suppressed a chuckle.

"It was an adventure Pepper! Your favourite movie is Titanic…"

"That doesn't mean I want to experience it!" She argues

"I'll pay to send you down if you want, birthday present maybe?"

"Back to the story guys!" Rhodey prompts.

"Well that's it Platypus! The boat sank and I played Pepper's personal DiCaprio." He saw the sceptical look on his wife's face. "I gave you my chunk of wood to keep you out of the icy water,"

"It was hardly icy Tony."

"But I still braved the water, floating there waiting for a rescue that would never come." Pepper just shook her head in disbelief before going to cuddle Edward who hadn't even really noticed they'd come home.

"Where's Beth?" Pepper asked.

"Having a tea party with Joanne in the playroom." Rhodey told her.

"I'll go get her." Tony said before looking Rhodey "Are you coming?"

The got in to the elevator to take them to the top floor of Tony's mansion.

"So…" Rhodey said awkwardly as the elevator moved up.

"So? So what?" Tony asked, already knowing the answer but irritating James Rhodes is and always has been one of his favourite hobbies.

"So, the point of this vacation was to talk, in private…" Rhodey trailed off.

"You've not asked an actual question Rhodes. But the answer to your implied question is we talked and we decided that the past is the past and we're going to leave it there. Start fresh and all that."

"Really?"

"No. Well, yes about moving forwards and the past being the past. I agreed to couples therapy."

"That's big man." Rhodey couldn't believe it. The Tony Stark he knew was always a hundred per cent against therapy of any kind.

"Her and the kids are all I've got and if this is what fixes us."

"I'm proud of you Tony."

"Shut up, that's enough about me." He laughed at Rhodey's face. "Yeah, you're only going to here that once in your lifetime. " He chuckled again. "Right, so bachelor party. I'm thinking Vegas!"

"No." Rhodey was adamant. No Vegas.

… …. ….. … …. …. ….. …. …. …

Tony won. Tony always won with Rhodey and Tony, Rhodey, Happy and some of Rhodey's friends from the Air Force walked through the lobby of Caesar's Palace.

"How did I let you talk me in to this?" Rhodey whined

"I offered to pay." Tony stated smiling at the people who were pointing at him.

"I swear to god Tony if this turns in to some shit from the Hangover I will kill you!"

"Well it's a good thing I get to remain sober, so when we leave you on the roof I'll remember it." Tony was taking his relationship with Pepper seriously and if that meant sobriety then that's what was going to happen.

The night started like any other night in Vegas, it consisted of Tony gambling away a ridiculous amount of money and winning it all back, although it differed from his usual Vegas habits when he avoided a strip club and was still sober when he helped Happy carry a drunk Rhodey back to the room. So when they were on the jet awaiting the arrival of the groom Tony couldn't help but wonder where the hell Rhodey has gone.

Tony looked at the caller ID on his cell and chuckled when he saw the name.

"Rhodes, waiting on you buddy. Come on! Wheels up 20 minutes."

"Why the hell did I wake up tied naked to the welcome to Vegas sign?" Rhodey shouted down the phone.

"I don't know, last time I saw you, you were drooling on a pillow." Tony looked at the planes other occupants and was unsurprised to see Rhodey's Air Force friends chuckling in the corner.

"Tony…"

"It wasn't me Rhodey. It really wasn't this time, your boys in blue might have an idea…"

"I don't care, come bail me out!"

"I'll be there soon." Tony said making no move to stand he heard Rhodey shout something vague about bringing him some pants when he hung up the phone. "Wheels up! Sour Patch is finding his own way home!"

The other occupants of the plane laughed and it was high fives all round, shame Rhodey didn't find it so funny when he was released later that day to find his friends abandoned him and a ticket for an economy seat on a flight back to LA.

…. …. ….. … ….. … ….. …..

"Well aren't you the prettiest little flower girl ever!" Tony said as he scooped his daughter up.

"Mommy said to tell you, you look han..hand…what was the word Mommy?." Beth told him, she wanted to show her dad her flower girl outfit so Pepper had knocked on the door where Tony and Rhodey were getting ready for the wedding.

"Handsome." Pepper said from where she was waiting by the door, to take her back to the bridal party.

Tony had been allowed to retain his best men privileges even after leaving Rhodey is a Vegas jail cell. Although Tony had been warned if he did anything else wrong, then Rhodes was going to hunt him down and kill him, Iron Man or no Iron Man.

"Well your Mommy is out of control gorgeous." Tony pretend whispered at Beth who giggled.

"Edward leave your bowtie alone." Pepper called from her corner. Rhodey's soon to be nephew was the ring bearer so Ed, who sulked at being told to leave his bowtie alone, had been made a groomsmen so he didn't feel left out being the only Stark not actually in the wedding.

"Don't worry buddy, I don't like wearing them either." Tony told the sulking child.

Rhodey who'd been largely silent in this conversation asked Pepper how Joanne was doing.

"She's great Jim. Wait till you see her, she looks fabulous."

Rhodey just nodded and went back to panicking in a mirror.

The wedding was wonderful, Pepper cried, Tony will argue he didn't but Pepper will tell you otherwise. The reception however was proving to be a problem for Tony and Pepper.

_Flashback!_

"_What do we do about the alcohol?" Pepper said in the car on the way to the church._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Well I can't drink and I used to say, that I wasn't drinking so I could keep an eye on you and drive you home but I don't think that's going to work now since you don't drink anymore!" Pepper was in what Tony called a full blown Potts panic. _

"_Ditch it in a plant, or we'll do a super-secret switch of our glasses so you end up with the non-alcoholic and…" Tony trailed off as he couldn't think of what to do next._

"_We could just tell Rhodey and Joanne."_

"_And steal their thunder?"_

"_I don't know Pepper, I think the toasts are going to be an issue for you." _

"_What about pretending to take a sip and then leaving the glass on the table and switching to water."_

"_That could work." She mused. _

_End Flashback!_

So that's what Pepper did, during the pictures and the toasts she pretended to take a sip of her drink and she thought she had everyone fooled until she was dancing with Rhodey.

"So you're pregnant." He stated.

"What? No!" She tried to deny.

"Pepper, please." Rhodey told her in a tone that said he knew differently. "I've been watching you and Tony, neither of you drinking alcoholic drinks and your hand keeps resting on your stomach and you've been more emotional, you spent all of this morning throwing up and then there was the onion rings and ice cream you had as a midnight snack last night."

"Sorry, Jim we didn't want to steal your thunder."

"I appreciate that, but I'm happy for you guys."

"Thanks."

"Besides…" Rhodey grinned "Joanne's pregnant too and you're both glowing."

**TBC…**

**So there we go happier! Do you know what makes me happy? Feedback! (its appreciated really)**


	22. Mr and Mrs Stark Proudly Announce

**Ok guys, besides the epilogue this is the final chapter. I'm really sorry for the delay in getting this up, I've had a boat load full of work to do, it's my final year at university. I hope you enjoy this one. **

**Mr and Mrs Stark Proudly Announce**

Pepper huffed as she rolled over, trying to get comfortable in bed, she was only four months pregnant and had a slight bump, but after an incident involving a teddy bear and a pair of Prada heels she found herself on bed rest until her next appointment in 3 weeks. She would have got out of bed and done some work in the home office, but Tony had reprogrammed JARVIS to tell him if Pepper tried to leave their bedroom or got out of bed for anything other than going to the bathroom.

"Mrs Stark, Mrs Rhodes has arrived. Shall I tell her to come up here?" The AI asked.

"Yes, thank you JARVIS." Pepper, was glad for the company. With Ed and Beth at school and pre-school respectively, Pepper had been missing human contact. JARVIS was perfectly capable of holding decent conversation, but unlike her husband she needed some form of human contact.

Pepper's thought process was interrupted as a heavily pregnant Joanne Rhodes waddled in to the bedroom. "I can't believe you're doing this for a third time!" She said as she flopped on to the bed next to Pepper pulling out two cartons of Ben and Jerry's from the shopping bag she'd been carrying.

"I can't believe you were six months pregnant when you married Jim." Pepper shot back.

"Hey, just because I got to walk down the aisle without looking a house is no reason to hate me." Joanne said through a mouth full of ice cream.

"I wasn't pregnant when I married Tony. Although between this one and the other two I seem to spend a lot of my time spawning his offspring." Pepper scooped a load of ice cream in to her mouth.

"Could you imagine those two pregnant?" Joanne chuckled.

"Tony wouldn't cope." Pepper thought about it seriously. "It's not that hard to imagine."

Joanne looked at her sceptically. "JARVIS pull up the photo of Rhodey and Tony from the wedding, the one where they're doubled over laughing." Pepper instructed.

JARVIS complied with the task. "Ok now can you enlarge the stomachs so the look pregnant."

Joanne and Pepper laughed hysterically at the result on the screen, they changed the facial expressions as well. "JARVIS, could you email that to General Rhodes for me?" Joanne asked.

"And Tony!" Pepper added, JARVIS sent the emailed image off to the respective husbands.

"I can just imagine Jim sat on the sofa demanding a foot rub and a back rub and a sandwich all at the same time!" Joanne laughed.

"Tony would try and create a pregnancy suit so he could keep being Iron Man."

"They'd compete over who was fatter." Joanne was crying with laughter now.

"What's so funny?" Came a voice from the doorway.

"You." Pepper said smiling at her husband.

"That's not very nice." He walked in the room and tried to steal her ice cream. He looked genuinely hurt when she slapped his hand. "Hey I've been in a board meeting all afternoon!"

"Don't care."

"Pepper…" He moaned

"I'm feeding your child." She looked at him pointedly.

"Try feeding your husband." He made puppy dog eyes.

"It doesn't work when your children do it. You are no different." She ate another spoonful just to prove her point.

… …. … …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. .. ….. ….. ….. … …. …. …. …..

"Hurry up Pepper!" Tony was quickly walking through the halls of the hospital.

"I am 7 months pregnant Anthony Stark! You slow down!" She snapped from behind him. Joanne had gone in to labour and (unfairly in Pepper's opinion) had managed to deliver the baby before Tony and Pepper arrived. Tony will argue this is because of Pepper's inability to quickly stand and move anywhere.

"Ahh! Here we are." Tony knocked on the door and when he heard Rhodey call for him to come in.

"Hey guys." Tony whispered seeing the baby asleep in Joanne's arms.

"Sup man." Rhodey greeted his friend handing him a cigar.

"Hi." Joanne whispered from the bed, all of her attention on the tiny human in her arms.

"Here Pep, take a seat." Rhodey stood and let Pepper sit down whilst he went and took the baby from his wife. "This is Reuben Rhodes." He handed the baby to Pepper.

"He's perfect Jimmy." Pepper stroked the baby's cheek and watched as he squirmed.

"Yeah well Joanne did all the hard work." He said, still looking at the baby. "I can't believe we made that." The statement was aimed at no one in particular.

"Hey! His godfather wants a turn!" Tony crouched in front of Pepper to take the child.

"He's not a toy." She told him, but handed him the baby regardless.

The baby promptly began to fuss and cry as Tony held him, the other occupants in the room laughed. Something about Reuben being a good judge of character was said by Rhodey as Tony handed the child back to his mother.

… … … … … … … … … … … …

"Why won't this child come out?!" Pepper yelled startling her husband who had been sleeping beside her. It was 3am and Pepper who was now 9 months 2 weeks and 4 days (not that anybody was counting) in to her pregnancy, this baby was now late and she was not happy about this at all.

"You're so awesome and it's super cosy inside there he's just too comfy to come out." Tony rubbed her belly.

"The other two came out on time, why is this one being like you?" She moaned

"Like me?"

"Late and awkward!" Pepper snapped.

"I resent that." Tony tries to joke, but the death glare from his wife makes him realise this is an error.

"I resent back pain and cravings and not being able to see my giant swollen feet and…you! I resent you because this," she waves her hand over her belly "this is all your fault."

"I love you." He kisses her cheek but she just huffs and switches on the television.

"_Laura Ellis the waitress who claims to have slept with married billionaire Tony Stark is today releasing her tell all book about the steamy affair she had with the Man of Iron…" _ Any further reporting is cut off by Tony switching off the television.

"Pepper…"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Pepper, I'm…"

"I'm serious Tony, don't mention… ouch!" Her hand flies to her stomach.

"What?" He sits up worried.

"Ok, I think this is it." She says.

Tony was ready for this. "JARVIS, wake Pepper's mother." Susan Potts had been staying with them so that when Pepper went in to Labour there was somebody to look after the kid. "And wake Happy." Happy was also staying in a guest room, the last time Pepper had gone in to labour Tony had nearly killed them so Happy was driving.

Tony and Pepper's well prepared plan progressed quickly, unlike her labour it may have taken a further 27 hours but Tony was sat on the edge of the bed with his new born son's hand wrapped around his pinky finger. He didn't care that the press were outside waiting for a comment on both the book and baby, he was happy where he was.

"He's so perfect." Tony smiled

"Like us, we're perfect." Pepper whispered not wanting to disturb the child. "I get that things have been difficult this year but nothing's going to stop us now."

A knock at the door interrupted the quiet moment as Pepper's mother ushered in the children and took a picture of the whole family who were finally healing.

"What's he called?" Susan asked

"Edwin Jason, Pepper wouldn't let me call him Jarvis." Tony joked, Pepper whilst consenting to the first name, knowing how important Edwin Jarvis had been to Tony, refused to allow her child to share his name with the complicated computer system that ran their house.

"It's lovely." Susan said, not really understanding the joke Tony and Pepper seemed to be sharing.

**THE END. **

**For reals, well sort of… there's an epilogue which I've done and will post tomorrow. Thank you for sticking with it and I'm so sorry it to so long to finish! **

**Let me know what you think. **


	23. Epilogue

**And here it is, the epilogue to officially the longest and most reviewed story I've ever written. Thank you for sticking with it! **

**Epilogue. **

"I'm sorry dad." Jason, who had long abandoned the Edwin after declaring it uncool, said as his father and the robots pulled him free from the mangled wreckage of Tony's favourite car.

"We'll talk about it later." Tony said as he helped the boy over to the platform so the suit could be disassembled.

"Mr Stark, Miss Stark has arrived home." JARVIS announced and Tony's grin broke out in to a wide grin, his little girl was home and as soon as Jason and his girlfriend left the garage Tony secured the suits and leapt up the stairs.

He saw his daughter as soon as he came up the stairs and rushed straight to her wrapping her up in the biggest hug he could manage.

"Daddy put me down!" She demanded. He looked at her, she only ever called him Daddy when she wanted something. "I scored a perfect score on the MCATs!" She told him excitedly "And I started applying for med schools."

All three of Tony's children were incredibly intelligent, none of them as prodigal as he was but still they'd all gained admission to the top schools in the country. Beth at 21 was studying pre-med at Harvard where she'd just finished her junior year. It had been hard for Tony to let her go all the way to the other side of the country. It had been harder for Pepper to convince him that Stark Industries did not need a Boston office, however the number of MIT events that he attended increased so he'd have an excuse to go to Boston regularly.

Ed was 19 and in a few days Tony was flying out to Maryland to watch his son attempt the Herndon monument climb at the US Naval Academy. Tony was proud of his son for getting in to Annapolis, he wouldn't let his father try and call in any favours to get him in. Rhodey was proud of Ed too, out of all of Tony's kids this is the one he was closest to, Ed had always loved to hear the stories about Rhodey's air force days and Cap's stories about the army but he wanted to be a Navy pilot. "I've seen Top Gun." He told his father when he shared the ambition "Chicks love the Summer Whites." Whilst Ed was more like Pepper in temperament and personality little bits of Stark crept through. Of course whenever possible Ed would take over Iron Man duties from his father, his mother hadn't liked that but she couldn't stop him.

"Daddy…" Beth's voice dragged him out of his thought process.

"Yeah princess?" He smiled as she blushed, only then did he notice the unfamiliar face in the room. "Who are you?" He asked the guy, stood a little too close to his daughter for his liking.

"Daddy this is Andrew, we've been dating for 6 months." Tony was shocked, he had no idea that his daughter was seeing anybody. The man in question held out his hand for Tony to shake.

"Andrew Henson, nice to meet you."

Tony just stared at the hand. Pepper lay a gentle hand on his arm prompting him to shake Andrew's hand. "Tony Stark. Tell me Andrew what do the words, 'don't touch my daughter until you put the ring on her finger' mean to you?" Andrew laughed nervously, although Pepper and Beth shot him a look, telling him to shut up.

Jason just sniggered in the background. He was the most like Tony from the getting in to trouble (always able to find it in the strangest places) to graduating early. He was on course to graduate High School at 16 and was already preparing his application for MIT to study Engineering. Tony gave him a look, reminding him he was still in trouble for the car and he shut up promptly.

Tony and Pepper had gone from strength to strength since Jason's birth, the problems they had in the months before were now a non-issue. Of course in the habit of a lifetime, Pepper found herself managing Tony's life and whilst he'd semi-retired his gauntlet's he still did the consulting work for SHIELD and helped with the technological advances. He'd not touched a drop of alcohol since he'd left rehab and was proud to say that he was god father to Reuben Rhodes.

As he watched Pepper converse with Andrew he smiled. He was perfectly happy with where he was right now (he'd be happier without Andrew obviously) he wouldn't change how he got here because that old saying was right. It's not the destination, it's the Journey.

**THE END.**

**For reals this time. **

**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. **

**For now I'll work on my current works in progress and then I'll look at starting something new. **


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